Charlie Cat

          Stealthily, I padded across the wet kitchen floor, waiting for a chance to pounce. Almost hypnotized, my ice-blue eyes followed the swing of the mop, back and forth, left to right. A new game! Leaping atop my swishing cat mobile, the strands of wet rags flying across the floor, I yowled with delight till the lady whirled me around one last time, flicking me off my ride with laughter and a simple word, “Shoo!” Landing on all four paws, I furtively hid by the kitchen door to study my new owner.

     I’d learned one thing so far. She was an organized and tidy soul. There was a place for everything, unlike my old home. I blinked at the prisms reflecting in the crystal glasses all lined up like soldiers in the tall kitchen cupboard. Everything was in order and woe-be-tied to anyone who made a mess without knowing her system. It wasn’t that she would say anything, after all, she was a lady. If you moved her things, this petite woman would probably never mention it, but specific words just might fall out the sides of her mouth if she had to climb on her step stool to rearrange what you messed up. Yet, she wasn’t unkind.

     I was still trying to figure her out. As if she heard my thoughts, she glanced over at me and smiled. “I know Charlie, it’s a bit confusing here for you, isn’t it?  Don’t worry, you’ll find your way.” Satisfied with her subservient manner, I came out of my corner, butted my head against her hand, and allowed her to stroke my sleek chocolate-brown body.  Another fact was becoming clear. She liked animals and seemed to have room to squeeze in one more stray. I knew this to be a fact because I was the most recent addition to her inner circle. I considered the huge bloodhound outside her big house, the fat dachshund inside, two rabbits, and a turtle. I thought if she had one too many pets – it was probably me.

     Twitching my whiskers, I went in search of adventure, staring up at the grand Hammond organ, taking the place of pride against her staircase rails.  It was a beautiful instrument, inherited from her recently deceased father, my last owner. I still thought about him a lot. He was the perfect owner for a cat like me. He didn’t care if I made a mess, because he liked to make his own. We were perfect housemates. I used to hop across the organ keyboard, and onto his shoulders, ready to listen to his songs.  The old man loved music and so did I. Red, blue, green, and orange buttons would light up on the organ console and sound like a marching band during a parade when he moved his fingers across the keyboard. We would yowl together to the songs that filled the room. Now, the hood of the instrument was closed, and its musical notes were silenced.  I missed him and wished I could hear the happy sounds playing in my ears just once more. For a Siamese cat and his human, we’d been simpatico.  Equally, I missed the stacks of tools and boxes and funny inventions the old man kept scattered everywhere there was an open space. Everything was different here, and I didn’t quite understand why the old man was no longer around. Yes, I missed him very much.

     Most of all, I missed my cat pole. It wasn’t here in my new house. I know, because I’ve looked everywhere. With nothing better to do, I followed the lady from room to room, still searching for a good spot to hide. And where was the cat door? Well, I’ll tell you. . there wasn’t one. Before now, the old man had let me run around outside as well as inside, and oh the stories I could tell you about the great outdoors.  But she only said “no, the coyotes will eat you.” What are coyotes?

     I tried to sneak out a few times. I thought maybe I could find my way back home.  I waited so patiently, but my new lady owner was too fast. Finally she opened the door. I almost made it, till she dumped her whole basket of laundry all over me, then grabbed me by my collar. “Bad Kitty!” she scolded, “look what you made me do. Now I have to pick everything up again!” I yowled and hissed and scolded her – “Unfair,” I meowed. “You scared me.”

     It was safe to say there were too many rules and too many ways to get in trouble. She kept repeating, “Charlie, get out of my way!” But how could I get out of the way when I didn’t know the way? I had yet to figure out which corner was mine. That is very important for a cat, you know. This new house was so different from the old man’s.  Without a corner to hide in, I was forced to groom myself in full view of any visitors. Well, in all honesty, I would have done that anyway. After all, a cat’s gotta do what a cat’s gotta do. Besides, I wouldn’t want my beautiful coat viewed as anything less than perfect.  At least she tucked my litter box out of sight.

     I sauntered over towards Phoebe, the lady’s ultra-fat wiener dog. It would be fun to chase her, but she was so fat, I bet I could run around her ten times before she hopped out of her bed. But that dog sure did have some cool toys. I wish I could get her to let loose of that squeaky mouse she has hidden in her covers. When I tried to ask permission, all she did was bark. Stupid dog sounds anyway. Charlie turned his nose up in disgust. My voice is so much better. I can ask a question, Meow???, or when I’m hungry, I could purr loud and demanding, HURRY! The way Phoebe barks you never know what she wants. She looks at everybody and wags her tail like we’re supposed to figure it out. Dogs are not very smart.

     My wanderings took me into the family room, so I stopped and stared around. What the heck? Here was the old pool table and some familiar stuff I’ve seen before. And it was stacked up high in piles just like at my old house. I bounced up and down in a happy haze of memory, drinking in the familiar smells of the old man.

     Up on the table, there were books, cardboard boxes and old photo frames. Yeah! This was more like it! I settled down on the green felt, squeezing my body between an old computer the old man never got around to fixing and a plastic bag. MOVE bag! I swatted at it till it moved to accommodate my bulk. . I mean my sleek, beautiful body.

     My new owner came into the room with more boxes that she dropped on the table with the others. She was sad again. There was water leaking out of her eyes and was making those snuffling noises that meant her nose would also leak. She sort of looked like the old man, but she was a girl! I watched her closely for a while digging in boxes, unwrapping papers, patting and turning things over in her hands. I wish I knew how to make her feel better. She tried to smile, but then she leaked water even more. She kept taking all this old stuff out of the boxes, moving closer and closer to me with all the newspaper sheets she kept rolling into balls.

     “MEOW! Hey, don’t be messing with my new spot. This is mine! I just found it!

     “Sorry Charlie, didn’t see you.”  She petted my neck.

     “Stop it!” I gave her my fiercest look, but then she scratched right at the base of my ear, my itchy spot. Meow!  She just laughed and moved around me, methodically unwrapping more of my master’s treasures. Bowls, dishes, and ugh, more glass cups lined up in a row. She dug into another box where there were all kinds of pictures of people that seemed familiar. Then she found the teacup the old man drank out of every day. He used to let me slurp some of his tea from it. Oh man, now I feel sad. The lady made this wailing sound and sank down to the floor, holding the cup close to her heart. Wearily, she laid her head back against the wall and closed her leaking eyes. Soon, she was snoring.

     Good, I thought. She’d been awake such a long time. People and cats are supposed to take naps. I rolled over on my back and stuck my legs up in the air, enjoying the scratchy felt table till I bumped against the plastic bag again. A stack of envelopes spilled out, photos and papers almost burying me beneath its contents.  Meow I told her indignantly, but the lady slept on.

     I jumped down from the pool table, searching for a place to scratch my claws. Did the lady forget that cat’s need to scratch? I needed to sharpen my nails on something! He wandered into the living room and surveyed the entertainment center. Surely she wouldn’t mind if I climbed up, up. .Wow! I can see everything from up here! Oh, this is perfect. If I can just move that. . what did she call it? Cocking my head to the side, I tried to remember. Oh, that’s right – a candle holder.

    Reaching out with my tail and, just ever so slightly, I swished it out of the way and down to the floor where the ruby-red glass broke into little pieces. That was better! And what a wonderful pattern it made scattered all over the hardwood floor below.

     “WHAT are you doing up there? Get down from there Charles! Get down.

     Uh-oh! When did she wake up?And she’s mad too! Leaping off in a perfect arch, I made my way under the dining room table, where I could stretch out in peace and comfort. She won’t look for me here. All I wanted to do was see better. Now, why was the lady leaking again? Over some glass? It was pretty, but not as pretty as that feather she had on her dresser.

     My new owner put a hand on the small of her back and rubbed at it, then slowly stood up straight. Setting her mouth in a thin line, she walked over to a big closet at the end of the kitchen. What’s behind that door?  I could hear those words growling out of the side of her mouth again as she grabbed the broom and dustpan and stomped back around to pick up the pieces.

      “Shoo Charlie. Bad kitty! Look at what you did.” 

     “Meow!”

     “Don’t you meow me; you’re not sorry! You broke my grandma’s depression glass.”

     The lady took a deep breath, then disgustedly selected the larger pieces of glass from the dustpan, spreading them out on the dining room table. Charlie got curious and jumped up beside her, where he could see her fingers pushing the glass in a circle.  He didn’t care about the glass, but he batted the air at her hands till she looked up and took pity on him.

     “Oh, okay, naughty cat,” she laughed, “I guess you’re forgiven.”

     Meow! Good! Laughing’s good.  She tipped her head to the side, tapping her fingers against her chin as though in thought. Finally, she looked back at me and said, “Maybe if I add other colored glass, I can turn it into a mosaic or something.”

     I was good as gold the rest of the day, following her around inspecting all the corners and closets in the lower half of the house. The knobs that swung from the ends of cords on the kitchen blinds were fun. I swatted them around for a while till they got all tangled up. I stole the toy mouse from Phoebe’s bed when her back was turned. She caught me with it, and we enjoyed a good game of chase. Phoebe was funny. Her tiny legs could move quickly, but she got tired easily.  

     The lady leaned against the kitchen counter and rested her hands on her chin, watching us both. I sprang up high, surprising her with my athletic prowess.

     “Oh no you don’t,” she exclaimed. “Now you’re getting a bit too close to the food.” She heaved a great big sigh.  “What in the world am I going to do with you, Charles?” Yeah, I was wondering the same thing myself. And there’s that name again, Charles. My name is Charlie!.

     Dinner time flew by. I’d explored most of the house by now. I stared at the closed doors lining the hallway upstairs but startled myself with a great big yawn.  It would have to wait for tomorrow because I was much too tired right now. I scrambled on the sofa next to my new lady, and wondered how in the world we would play together if she was always mad at me.  But I decided to make the best of it, cuddling against her warm body with a soft purr. Phoebe was snoozing against her other side. Laughing softly, she eased herself away from us both and went to the outside door on the side of the kitchen.

     I followed her and opened my blue eyes wide as I saw even more of the old man’s stuff inside a big outside room that smelled musty and like car engine oil.  She pulled something from the trunk of her car. Oh BOY, oh boy! My cat pole. I leaped outside the kitchen door almost tripping her as she made her way back into the house and into the family room. “There now, Charles,” she said, “This belongs to you, I think.” 

     Charles again? What’s with the Charles? Oh well, who cares, the cat thought. I’m much too happy. Maybe I can answer to both names. He nudged against her side, twining his body in and out of her legs.

     She giggled quietly to herself as she scooped him up. Gathering him closely in her arms, the new lady rocked him like a baby. Meow! The old man used to do that too.  Then, carefully, she tapped him on his nose and set him at the top of his pole.

Charlie Cat gazed keenly at all four sides of the room and twitched his whiskers, sniffing the air around him. Maybe this would be a good place after all. Perhaps he’d like it here in his new home. He settled down, curled into a ball of fur, nose to tail, and fell asleep.