Gilligan's Island? Try Gilligan's Knickerbocker

The Knickerbocker Apartments has a longtime resident cat. A sign on the door of Phyllis' apartment reads "Gilligan's Place." Gilligan is a black cat – who, by the way, is vice president-elect of the Knickerbocker (I kid you not) – that graciously allows the apartment's human tenant to cohabit "The Place" with her.

Before the days when the Bay Village Kiwanis provided us with plastic mailboxes by each apartment door, we had to bend in half to slip our communications under the door. For many of us seniors this wasn't the easiest feat to accomplish.

One day, I had an envelope to deliver to Phyllis. I pushed it under the door until it disappeared. Much to my surprise, "faster than a speeding bullet," my envelope flew back at me and landed in the hall a foot from the door.

Evidently, Gilligan was sitting right inside the door, took his paw and – WHAM – batted the envelope right back out!

Later that day I phoned Phyllis and reported what Gilligan had been up to. We shared a good laugh. I figure Gilligan thought it was a bill!