Chapter 104

It still took me long enough to wake up that I seemed to recall several cameras flashes. Probably lingering sleep flashes.

Finally, I slammed the door ... and almost caught a spotted tail in the jam.

<That was close.>

That was ‘closed’, I thought.

<Giggle>

Giggle? Cats can giggle?

<Not out loud... >He gave what sounded like an interrupted belch with a howl in the middle. At my stare he thought, <Best I can do.>

“Okay”

<Ya know ... that you can communicate is great. Most two-legs don’t have a clue.>

“I get some looks ... talking to cats.”

<I’ll bet.>

“Murray was very talkative.”

Suddenly I was sad ... Murray and I had some great times. I never did find out if he was my cat or I was his kid.

<Probably both.>

<He come to you voluntarily?>

“I enticed him with ice cream. A banana split.”

<Hmm ... you could try that on me.>

I jumped in the shower.

Dried, I dressed in my flight suit and said, “Come on.”

<Where?>

“Ludington ... House of Flavors.”

<You mean ... fly?>

“Well ... yeah.”

Raul got so nervous ... he peed in his litter. <What if I don’t like it?>

“Ice cream?”

<Flying.>

“Only one way to find out.”

<Fly?>

“Yup.”

<Can’t we get ice cream here?> I could hear the whine in my head.

“Where’s the fun in that?”

He pooped ... in the litter pool...

“Eww!”

Raul had never used the real litter pool ... he always tricked me into letting him out. I know what I’ve been feeding him ... but I don’t know what he’s been eating on the side. By the smell ... something really nasty.

“Chicken!”

<I’m nervous.>

I got online and looked up Ice Cream in Austin, TX. 4.9 with over 500 reviews HAS to mean something. On the south side of the river. I called.

“You bring the bananas, and we’ll do it.”

“Get in the car.”

<Yes Ma’am.>

Raul can open my house door. I didn’t know that.

I shrugged out of my flight suit ... shorts and a tee will have to do.

Raul was sitting in the seat. Raul can...

“Any of you guys open the car door for my cat?”

Assorted iterations of No ... and looks at the ‘34 with the cat in the front seat ... behind the wheel.

“Scoot over, cat. You don’t have a license.”