The topic for April is "New Cat in My Life".

This can be fiction or non-fiction. You can just recount how it was when you got a new cat, maybe adding some of the problems, but mostly adding all the wonderful things about getting the new cat.

Your main point/theme is up to you. For example, it could just be a recounting of how the new cat enhanced your life, maybe how a certain new cat helped you get over some emptiness or sadness etc. in your life, or just a comedy type of writing recounting the crazy antics of a new cat settling into your home.

Fun, serious, thoughtful- anything goes! Just no deep depressing stories, please.

The overall purpose of this story is to let people know how great it is to have pet cats!

Butter’s Story
By Cindy Zydzik

Sara sat at the kitchen table , drinking her morning coffee. It had been a hectic morning already. Dan, her husband, had woke up late and rushed around to get to work on time. The flurry of activity had woken the children and she finally had them dressed and playing outside. She looked around at the morning chaos of her kitchen and felt a huge sigh leave her lips. Another Saturday morning. Dan on overtime, the kids home from school, her day off and just a million things that had to be done. She pushed back from her chair and got up to clean the kitchen. It was a start. Going over her mental check list, she wiped down counters, started laundry and made the beds in a fog.

As she went about her chores, she realized she hadn’t heard the kids for a while. They hadn’t been in and out the door like usual. In fact, she thought in amazement, she had almost everything done because she hadn’t stop for the millionth time to remind the kids to close the door, no snacks yet, wipe your feet, and all the other small things that usually put her behind schedule. She looked out the window from the kitchen and saw Sally and Robbie sitting crossed legged in the back yard with something between them. Sally, 6 years old was giggling and Robbie, 8 years old was hunched over something.

Sara walked out into the yard to see what had her kids so quiet and occupied. As she stood over them, a small kitten darted out of Robbie’s hand and made a bee line for her pants leg. Sara jumped back in surprise and the kitten tumbled over and scrambled back to Robbie. Again, Sally got the giggles. “Mom, isn’t he just the cutest thing in the world? Can we keep him?”, Sally asked. “Oh’ honey, I’m sure he belongs to somebody” Sara replied. Robbie was now laying on his back in the grass and the kitten was sitting on his chest looking like the King of the Jungle and just so pleased with itself. It was just a little orange and white ball of fluff.

“We don’t know a thing about cats or how to care for them anyway”, Sarah told the kids gently. “We have to find out if he belongs to somebody”. She suddenly realized what a beautiful spring day it was. She had been so busy with life, she hadn’t even realized Spring had come! “Tell you what”, She told Robbie and Sally. “Let’s walk around the neighborhood and see if anyone has lost their kitten”. The kids were on their feet in an instant. As they got themselves ready with the kitten, they were discussing names for him. Sara reminded them to not get to attached because he surely belonged to someone and it would just make them sad to give him back.

Two hours later, a little sunburned from being out in the sun, and tired from walking the neighborhood, Sara, Sally and Robbie were again in the back yard. With the kitten. No one had seen or claimed it and Sara was at a loss of what to do. A lot of friends had given her advice, but she was still in doubt over what to do. One man had even said rather meanly to drop it off at the pound, and Sally had started to cry. Sara thought of the million things to be done yet today and came to a decision. “Come on guys. Let’s get the kitten in the bathroom, shut the door and get to the pet store for some food and stuff. Mary gave me a list of things to buy and if we are going to keep this little guy until it’s owner claims it, we have to get going. We have to call a Vet to see if we can take him in and have him checked over also”

Dan came home that evening to a sparkling, clean house with delicious smells coming from the kitchen. His wife was actually singing and the kids were in another room, laughing over something. He paused at the door and tried to remember the last time he had come home to such a happy house. He kissed Sara and leaned over the pot she was stirring to get a good whiff of the spaghetti sauce she was stirring. “Wow, you must be tired after all this”, he said, waving around the clean kitchen and house. “Not really”, Sara told him. “The kids pitched in and helped a lot. Speaking of kids, Robbie” she called. “Could you come and set the table? Dad is home and dinner is ready.” Dan was just a little amazed that Robbie was there in an instant and did just what he was told. And Sara was wearing a secret smile. And Sally came in to help her brother set the table. Something was definitely going on. He was soon to find out!

Dinner that evening was fun. The kids were talking about how much fun they had had that day walking around with Mom and the shopping trip, and the vet visit and the house being rearranged to make it safe and all the other things they had done. Dan smiled softly over at Sara and thought of how happy everyone was. Then he backtracked in his thoughts. Did Robbie say a vet visit? Both kids were talking at once and it took Dan a minute to get everyone’s attention. “Why in the world would you need to go to the vet?”, he asked. The room got quiet as Sally and Robbie turned to Sara. “Well dear”, she began. “There was this kitten in the back yard”. That was as much as she got out before everyone started to talk at once. Dan looked around in confusion at Sally’s pleading eyes and Sara speaking of kitten food and litter boxes and Robbie telling him the vet gave an all clear, that the kitten was a she, not a he, and all the posters they had made to put up in the neighborhood about a found kitten. “You guys sure had a busy day today, huh? And just where is this so-called kitten?” Robbie had left the room and came back carrying what looked to Dan like a small orange ball of yarn. He held out his hands and Robbie placed the kitten in them. “She is about 14 weeks old” Robbie told him. “The vet said she was very healthy and gave her some shots. He said she was taken care of very well and someone probably is missing her. But we asked everyone. Can we keep her Dad?” Dan softly stroked the kittens soft fur and was surprised by the purr coming from it. It opened sleepy eyes and gazed up at him and in spite of himself, Dan fell in love with it right then and there. “Did we give this kitten a name?” he asked. Again, everyone was talking at once. “Fluffy. No, Buttercup. How about Tangerine? What about Sunny?” The kitten was awake by now and ready to play. She crawled up Dan’s arm and sat on his shoulder. He reached up to take it down and the kitten swatted at his hand. The room erupted in laughter as Dan and the kitten batted at each other and even Dan found himself smiling.

Several weeks went by with no phone call about the kitten. The posters had all been soaked in the spring rain and blown away or taken down. Dan and Sara were amazed over the way one small kitten had changed their lives. They didn’t sit in front of the TV anymore with blank stares. There was just too much fun to be had with Butter, as the kitten came to be called. Sally and Robbie would be sitting on the floor playing and Dan would be reading the newspaper and Sara would be knitting. Well, kind of knitting. It was hard to concentrate when Butter kept running off with the yarn and the kids were chasing her, laughing. Dan had a hard time reading the paper when Butter would launch herself at it every time it crinkled or moved. He tried laying on the floor to read the paper, but that just became a tunnel for Butter to crawl under. The new piece of furniture in the house was a tall cat tree that sat in front of the window. Butter would race up one side and down the other. It was rarely still for any length of time and laughing over the antics of this kitten became normal. Dinner discussions were more alive than ever as Sally and Robbie reported of some new thing they had learned on the computer about cats. Sara’s heart would melt when she looked in on the kids at night and found Butter curled up with one or the other on their beds. She never told them that after they were asleep at night, Butter would come to their room and curl up on Dan’s shoulder to sleep. They learned about spaying and why it was necessary. They now had a vet’s phone number on the call list. Taking care of Butter had become a family affair. Sally fed her in the morning, Robbie fed her at night, they all learned to take care of the litter box when it was needed. There was never a time when they had decided to keep Butter. She had chosen them and here she was going to stay.

I hope you guys aren't getting bored with my stories. When Margaret anounnces a new story line, my brain just goes into story mode. If I am getting too tiresome, someone please tell me!

No, we're not bored with you or your stories.... please, don't even think such a thing.

I haven't posted because I spend most of my time doing job searches and working on our taxes - and then just answering posts here - I haven't much time to think up stories or poems yet.... there's actually quite a few things I haven't had time for lately....

Keep up the good work - you're doing fine!

Edited to add: Awesome story by the way. I'm sitting here with tears rolling down my face.... DARN!!! I'm such a mushball!!!! It's not even a sad story - it's a happy story!!!! What's wrong with me?

I was starting to wonder if I am getting on everyone's nerves with my stories.

Banish the thought!! Your stories are a great treat for all of us. I've really enjoyed reading them and look forward to many more.

Jim

Cindy,

Your story is so sweet! You're such a good writer. You bring everything to life. I could picture the family together, the little kitty, the husband coming home. It was just delightful.

You know, the whole story reminded me of Spring - Hope - and lightheartedness which I needed a dose of today!

Thank you for posting this story and I'm glad I finally got time to read it.

Maria

You guys make my heart feel good. I have always had stories in my head, but have never written anything down before. This place and all of you have given me a chance to let some of them out.

Jim, at least you had some sort of mastery to start with . Mine is limited at best.