The cat - a memory of the 70's so it may not be exact.
Mum had a cat. Not just any cat but a white fluff ball of a thing. Mum said it was a persian, it was a stuck up thing. Stalking around and giving you a look that said "I have it a lot easier than you & I can do as I please." It would walk past, give you the look and then stick its tail in the air to give you a brown eye. A brown eye that was begging for a boot.
The cat was our sacred cow you didn't dare touch it. You would be dead if you even had a bad thought about the thing. Mum left the radio on when she went out so the cat wouldn't get lonely.
Mum had given it a name the rest of the family called it "the cat". Of all the cats to own when you live next to an acre of bush. The thing would return from some sortie or other in the bush, probably getting a bit of "rough" as someone said (quitely lest Mum heard). Its pristine white coat full of bush refuse.
Mum talking in a funny voice fussing away and brushing out the bits of bush.
In summer it needed a trim "so he doesn't get to hot..". One summer dad volunteered to take it for the trim.
He pulled into the drive, stopped the car and rested his head on the steering wheel. The three boys looked and wondered. He looked up, took a breath and got out of the car. Opened the back door and brought out the cat. He held it up, a scrawny looking thing that had been shaved to within an inch of it's life. All except its fluffy head and a fluff ball on the end of the tail. Dad didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Was it mirth or fear in his eyes. Three teenage boys stare and then burst out laughing. Revenge is sweet. Dad started to laugh and suddenly stooped. The flyscreen door slammed shut and mum stared at the cat. The boys looked at the ground. Dad realised he was holding the cat by the neck and it was dangling there. He scooped up the rear end, the cat looked to be in shock.
"What have you done to him!" "How could you". "What are you all laughing at, the poor thing won't want to go out looking like that."
Four males break out laughing, the cat is snatched from dad and taken into his domain with soothing words. This will not be lived down for quite a while. The cat became even more smug after that. Sometimes it's better to leave well enough alone.
The cat was our sacred cow you didn't dare touch it. You would be dead if you even had a bad thought about the thing. Mum left the radio on when she went out so the cat wouldn't get lonely.
Mum had given it a name the rest of the family called it "the cat". Of all the cats to own when you live next to an acre of bush. The thing would return from some sortie or other in the bush, probably getting a bit of "rough" as someone said (quitely lest Mum heard). Its pristine white coat full of bush refuse.
Mum talking in a funny voice fussing away and brushing out the bits of bush.
In summer it needed a trim "so he doesn't get to hot..". One summer dad volunteered to take it for the trim.
He pulled into the drive, stopped the car and rested his head on the steering wheel. The three boys looked and wondered. He looked up, took a breath and got out of the car. Opened the back door and brought out the cat. He held it up, a scrawny looking thing that had been shaved to within an inch of it's life. All except its fluffy head and a fluff ball on the end of the tail. Dad didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Was it mirth or fear in his eyes. Three teenage boys stare and then burst out laughing. Revenge is sweet. Dad started to laugh and suddenly stooped. The flyscreen door slammed shut and mum stared at the cat. The boys looked at the ground. Dad realised he was holding the cat by the neck and it was dangling there. He scooped up the rear end, the cat looked to be in shock.
"What have you done to him!" "How could you". "What are you all laughing at, the poor thing won't want to go out looking like that."
Four males break out laughing, the cat is snatched from dad and taken into his domain with soothing words. This will not be lived down for quite a while. The cat became even more smug after that. Sometimes it's better to leave well enough alone.
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