Becoming Harvey

Here's Harvey, just hanging out in his new digs ...

Many of you have inquired about his name, so I thought I would flesh out this post to explain. When I was a boy in Michigan, I set up a little "restaurant" in my basement, using all of my kitchen toys, where my friends and I played that was called (for whatever reason) Harvey's Hangout. 

It was sort of a nod to Rob's Place on "What's Happening!!," which was one of my favorite shows when I was a kid. (Danielle Spencer was my idol!) I always envisioned turning the setting into a TV show -- I had chosen the unfortunate name "Coming On" for my sitcom -- even going so far as to pick out the beginning of the O'Jays' "Backstabbers" as our opening theme song!. 

From there, my friends and I (now in Arizona) started to do an annual play called "Christmas at Harvey's" -- ostensibly set in the joint -- which was really just an excuse for me to don a wig and act out the Carol Burnett part of her best skits! I woke up the other day and suggested Harlan as a name for our impending kitty when Damian replied, "I was just about to suggest Harvey, for Harvey Milk." Putting it all together -- including the little guy's past being bullied and what just happened in Orlando -- and we both immediately said, "Yes, he is Harvey!"

P.S. 

For "marketing" purposes, he was briefly called Marlowe -- first without the "e" and then with. That's the name they used at the Meow Parlour, where he was quite the star, and at KittyKind, the organization from which we adopted him. He'd only had it a few weeks so didn't respond to it. Needless to say, we didn't think it was a good fit.

Bunny feet for days!