Chapter 53

No ... seriously. I can not tell you. Don’t ask.

The Watch:

Sure I knew how it worked ... The Powers that Be made sure I did. Dad explained how Tyche (Mom) used it to garner Flintkote Farms.

“As far as I know ... she nev ... Seven? Something?” The Seven materialized on the patio ... deck ... spa.

“She used it in Fiji ... and here a couple three times.”

Dad said, “I stand corrected. Limited use.” He looked at Seven.

And she agreed.

“You,” Dad looked at me, “haven’t used it past lessons. You have a reason?”

The Seven disincorporated. I’m reasonably used to them becoming seven individuals ... I don’t puke ... I got past that. And I’m very used to Two. I am forever seeing her in the back row of my classes ... and she loves the sauna.

“Yes,” I said. “I don’t need to ... I have more money than I can spend. Why bother?”

As for that ... what would I buy ... I have land, houses, farms, aircraft, cars, trucks, boats, friends ... that don’t care about possessions. I have a huge cat ... I think. I haven’t seen him in months. He is getting old. He was about two when mom got him. Holy Do doo! He’s ... at least 20.

Google: maximum... 38 years. (Guiness Book Of Records) Domestic. However, 15 is ancient for a Ocelot Savanna cross.

Worry wart I am not ... concerned, yes. It took me three days to go looking. I found him. Well ... I found where he was buried. The on-going excavation under my old parking slab. I stooped under the low entrance at the base of the bluff.

“Anybody home!”

“Selene!” shouted the professor. He was guiding his most recent Archaeology 201 class through his most significant discovery.

The name created a babble with the class. The most acid comment I heard was about my losing the provenience of the first complete Friedkin point.

“That’s her?”

And the entire class performed the MOM look in living color and four part harmony.

“Sorry,” I said. “I didn’t know.”

“Humpf!” and they all turned away.

Professor Waters said, “Looking for your cat?” At the exact moment when I asked, “Seen my cat?”

“Yes.” We said it like twins.

“Where?”

“He’s buried over against the wall by the rock fall.”

“A rock fell on him?”

“No. He died in his sleep where the fall you broke up used to be.”

“Oh.”

“There’s plaque commemorating him by the grave.”

I had to look. Sure enough.

Here Lies OCICAT. The true discoverer of this site

In bronze. Riveted low on the wall.

MY CAT GOT MORE RECOGNITION THAN I DID!

NOOOOOoooo!