What Does the Fox Say

It’s a ritual we repeat every morning.

Generally speaking, I’m the first person downstairs. As my foot hits the first step at the top of the staircase, Roger starts chattering. It’s not a pleasant “Oh isn’t that sweet?” kind of meow. It’s a command. 

“Get down here you dolt and open the front door!” Then, he adds for good measure “What took you so long!”

But then, I open the door and, nine times out of 10, Roger sniffs and then begins a backward retreat as he cowers out of the doorway. 

“Are you kidding? I’m not going out there.”

Immediately, he bounds from the front door to the sliding door and we repeat the scene…

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If you follow pop culture, you may well know about the novelty hit song
“What Does the Fox Say?” It roared onto the international scene earlier this fall and became YouTube’s number one trending spot for 2013.

The song (and accompanying video), performed by the Norwegian brotherly duo Ylvis, came with a high energy dance number the brothers performed on The Today Show.

The song appealed to hipsters and children alike. In fact, the tune definitely struck a chord with many demographic groups. It was a question that showed up many different places. 

It didn’t occur to me that one individual, in particular, might not appreciate the question. In fact, I wonder if the answer to the question might be associated with the hesitation of Roger the Cat at the front door.

Perhaps the answer to the question “What Does the Fox Say?” is simply : 
“The Fox says: Roger, You Better Stay Inside!”

Early in the history of Coach Jeff’s Blog, I told you about the standoff between Roger and a fox one morning. This occurred days after Lisa and I heard the bloodcurdling sound of the fox in the middle of the night.

We have also heard news reports of coyotes roaming the range in the greater Farragut area.

All this to say…Roger may hesitate at the door each morning because he has picked up the scent of a near-by predator. Often, when we complete our early morning exchange, he asks to go outside, again, when the coast is clear. 

He’s no dummy.

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So, pop sensation, Christmas display, rhetorical question or survival instinct, the next time you hear someone ask “What Does the Fox Say?” you might tell them, it depends on who you ask. And if you were to ask a certain precocious orange tabby, he might say the FOX SAY, “It’s time to go back to your alarm clock and hit the snooze button.”

JG

Originally posted 12/16/2013