Village Squire, 1977-01, Page 17won out and by that time SHE had arrived. Besides bringing
enough luggage to sink the Queen Mary she brought a large
grey cat named Xavier. Personally I've always liked cats but
that one had been living with Aunt Mary too long. She carried
him in and deposited him on Mom's new red crushed velvet
love -seat. I approached hoping to pick him up but Aunt Mary
leapt in front of me.
"Don't touch him," she screamed. "Xavier's very high
strung. He doesn't like dirty little boys."
That cat was high strung all right. He ate only imported cat
food, drank the richest cream and slept - you guessed it on
Mom's cherished love seat. He strutted around with his nose
in the air as if he were the Prince of Monaco, caught
slumming on the Bowery.
Friday was hectic. The bridemaids' dresses arrived and had
to be adjusted again. The flowers were delivered a day early,
and were already wilting in the heat. Wedding presents were
arriving and were piling up all over the house. To top it all off
Aunt Mary thought Xavier was coming down with distemper.
She rushed off to the veterinary clinic to pick up some tablets
and left me in charge of the ailing Xavier.
As soon as she had left. he got up from his pillow,
wandered over 'to the refrigerator and meowed at me. I
guessed he was thirsty and was just pouring his milk when an
idea struck me. Whenever I was sick Mom always gave me a
shot of brandy in my milk. It always seemed to help me.
Xavier and 1 weren't exactly friends but I felt sorry for him. I
got the bottle from the hall closet and poured about half a cup
into the milk. 1 didn't mean to give him that much. It just
poured out too fast. He sniffed it for a while, gingerly took a
lick with his pink tongue and never stopped until he had
drained the bowl. 1 carried him back to his bed and he was
sitting there contentedly licking his whiskers when Aunt
Mary came back. She thought he was looking better and was
helping Alice and Harry open some gifts when it happened.
That big dumb cat suddenly came to life, leapt from the floor
onto the mantel over the fireplace and sent a Dresden china
doll crashing to the hearth. From there he jumped onto the
dining room table now laden with presents and landed in a
huge crystal punch bowl which disintegrated at his impact.
Then he picked himself up and staggered down the centre of
the table scattering presents in his wake.
They all took the situation differently. Alice burst out
crying. Mom screamed for someone to capture the "dreadful
creature" - and Aunt Mary cried over and over. "my poor sick
baby - my poor sick baby."
It was quite the funniest thing I'd ever seen and try as 1
might I couldn't control my laughter. After a mad chase
through the house Xavier was finally cornered in the kitchen.
Seeing that the jig was up he lied down on his back - four
white feet waving in the air and his eyes rolling anti -clock
wise ih his head. Aunt Mary scooped him up in her arms and
called a taxi to take her to the airport immediately. Xavier
obviously needed his own doctor at a critical time like that.
Later that night Mom was still sweeping up glass. Alice's
eyes were red and she still sniffed now and then over her lost
presents. I was sent to bed so that I'd be out of the way. Dad
came in to say goodnight. He sat on my bed starring out the
window. Then he took out his pipe and packed it carefully.
After it was going good he turned to me with a stern look on
his face.
"Know anything how that cat got intoxicated son?" he
asked.
Dad and 1 have always been quite close and besides my
conscience was already beginning to bother me so I spilled
the whole story. After he stopped laughing, he said seriously
again.
"You know, there are some things - that a woman just
doesn't understand. Know what I'm trying to say?"
"Sure Dad" I said. "You don't want Mom and Aunt Mary
to know about this."
"Smart boy," said Dad.
He sat with me for a while blowing smoke rings in the air
while 1 was wondering if a cat could get a hangover.
eaCC
illt
May peace and serenity bless your lives this year.
We want the New Year to biing our friends
only the good things of life
Beginning with our Thanks.
House of Max
Brussels
Your In Town Gift Store
ITOUR,,Q�
JANUARY ULU
Store Wide Sale
starts
January 3, 1977
SPECIAL
DISCOUNTS
THROUGHOUT
THE STORE
WHITNEY
FURNITURE
SEAFORTH PHONE 527-0902
Village Squire/January 1977, 15