Good Kitty. For a Reward, How About a Driver’s License?

I knew I was getting absent-minded in my old age, but I didn’t realize how much so until I lost a cat. Yes, a cat. Luckily for me, it was my cat, not someone else’s, though I’m not sure that distinction comforted the cat.

What really bothers me is that I once read that absent-minded people are really just seeking attention.

But where was I? Oh yes, the cat, named Bam. For the first time since we adopted him a year ago, he didn’t show up for dinner, or for breakfast the next day.

Invoking my mother’s formula for finding something -- “Where did you last see it?” -- I suddenly remembered that I had last viewed Bam when I was cleaning out my car the previous evening.

He, of course, had jumped inside to explore.

So I went out to the driveway, filled with dread, and peered through my car window. There he was -- lounging in the driver’s seat, staring at me.

He’d spent about 16 hours inside but was fine, though darn hungry.

I’m happy to report, by the way, that Bam is not only housebroken but car-broken.

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Food for thought: “Huell Howser in Chop Suey” said a sign in Little Tokyo, creating an interesting image in my mind.

Would this be the latest adventure of the popular PBS host -- swimming in a tasty sea of vegetables?

Actually what the sign meant, I discovered, was that Howser would be visiting the landmark building that houses the Chop Suey Cafe, formerly the Far East Cafe, for a future show.

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Moving from food to drink: A.M. Capps noticed that a Costa Mesa establishment had personalized one beer (see accompanying), while Barry Nackos found a spot for those who dislike bad drinking water (see photo).

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Who says American schools are in trouble? Barbara Joan Grubman of Woodland Hills chanced upon a personal ad placed by a lad who is a pilot, businessman, homeowner and poet -- and hasn’t even reached the age of 10 (see accompanying).

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But here’s a slow learner: Perhaps the writer of the job ad (spotted by Beryl Arbit of Encino) wanted to hire someone conversant with the English language to help him write job ads (see accompanying).

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Department of Redundancy Department: Linda Stone of Chatsworth came across today’s winner at a gas station (see accompanying).

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The face is familiar ... : A while back the media website www.ronfineman.com noted that fill-in anchor Mary Beth McDade forgot the name of fill-in sportscaster John Ireland as she went to introduce him on the KCAL-TV Channel 9 news. (Luckily, her partner Dave Clark remembered it.) Viewers who saw that newscast might have caught the inside joke the other night when it again came time for McDade to introduce what’s-his-name. “Now,” said McDade, “we’re going to toss it over to my friend John Ireland at Sports Central.”

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miscelLAny: I read that the motion picture industry lost an estimated $18 billion because of film piracy last year. Wow. Imagine how much it would be if Hollywood made more than half a dozen good films a year.

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Steve Harvey can be reached at (800) LATIMES, Ext. 77083, by fax at (213) 237-4712, by mail at Metro, L.A. Times, 202 W. 1st St., L.A. 90012, and by e-mail at steve.harvey@latimes.com.