Squeaky

Printed ephemera, bits of packaging and one or two 3D items of interest collected over the years cover one wall of my apartment. One of them became part of a morning ritual.  Some time ago, on a visit to Prague, working on a travel piece for the Independent I spotted a couple of dark robed monks in a supermarket.  I was intrigued when I saw one of them pop a Friskies into his trolley.  Did monks have pets?  The Friskies item releases a loud squeak when pressed.  I don’t have a dog to entertain but I brought a Friskies home with me, and it found a place on my wall.  It became part of a sort of ritual.  If anyone – by which I generally mean my small daughter, not me of course – woke up in an early morning grumpy mood, ‘Squeaking the Chop’ was guaranteed to dispel it. With giggles. Indeed, it changed the outlook of the whole day in a most positive way. Did it work like that for those solemn looking monks?