I'm so proud!

So tonight when I got home from work I let Sprocket out on the patio (it's fenced in) to enjoy the nice weather. I left the back door open so he could come and go as he pleased (actually I leave it open in case he is viciously attacked and needs to run to safety). I was getting some laundry together in the living room when I heard some people out back talking. One lady started going on and on about this beautiful cat she could see on the other side of the fence. A little boy was there, too, and he started talking about Sprocket's coloring. I froze where I was and just took it in. I was so proud of my Sprocket at that moment! I wanted to run out the door and tell them that I was the proud owner of this cat they found so beautiful and gorgeous (I heard that word uttered, too). But I didn't. I just cowered in the shadows and waited for them to leave, then I had to go out and supervise Sprocket when a neighborhood cat decided he wanted to try to attack Sprocket through a small gap in the fencing. Luckily, the other cat didn't decide to climb the fence; he just swatted his paw at Sprocket through the gap. Eventually I had to pick Sprocket up (no small feat) and bring him inside, much to his dismay. He must have cried at the door for five minutes. But it was so nice to hear someone compliment him -- and I consider it a true compliment because they didn't know I could hear them. Sometimes, we all tend to exaggerate things when there's someone to hear us. This time, I knew for sure that this lady thought my cat was beautiful. She obviously has good taste.