The Cat's tongue

Clammy hands etched out a repetitive statement on the dogwood table; I am alone, was carved over one thousand times across it; adding several entries every day. You would think Karl was being punished by his elementary teacher for saying naughty words during the Pledge of Allegiance. But it was routine for him. His saddened soul would wake every morning wondering what he did to deserve this life. His wife of twenty years, along with his daughter of twelve years were taken to heaven on a stormy April day. He blamed himself for being so consumed in his own work, that he couldn't take the time to pick up his daughter Tara from school, so his wife went. Neither one returned after a mudslide brought their time on earth to a sudden end.

Sixteen months of surviving on hope that his world would stop crumbling, Karl decided to try and move on. He brewed himself a steaming pot of herbal tea as he knew this would take time. He tuned his radio to WKVR, easy listening of the 70s.

Over the dusty kitchen table, he set out boxes of memorabilia he had condensed a few months prior. He sang along to How Deep is Your Love by the Bee Gees, while opening a box with the words 'Your Favorite Things' written on it. His wife, Adrian had an insatiable habit of collecting odd stuff. Karl began unloading it, chuckling along the way as he remembered the stories, or excuses she had for wanting to save the things that lacked purpose. He then pulled out a small white headband with sparkling green peace signs bedazzled around it. It was barely big enough for a newborn baby's head. She bought it at a flea market on her birthday a few years back. He could still remember trying to talk her out of the purchase. Aww, but it's so cute, maybe I'll get it for Bonsai. That was the family cat's name, an American mixed breed. She was independent and only showed her face during feeding time or when she wanted companionship. She spent most of her days chasing flies and sleeping on the washing machine. The laundry room window was her favorite place to see life moving along. Karl thought to himself, she never even put the damn thing on the cat. He felt the least he could do was to see her silly vision through and actually put it on Bonsai. He yelled out for her. As usual she took her precious time making her way to him. She jumped up on the kitchen table which was crowded with open boxes and began purring while rubbing her body against them. Karl sighed while standing up to pet her. She welcomed the love and returned it by licking his hand with her scouring tongue. He grabbed the headband and stretched it out over her head and behind her ears. It was a snug fit. Karl took a step back, his grin quickly blossomed into a full smile. The cat on the other hand wasn't too happy about it. Her eyes darted back and forth like she was trying to see what was gripping her head. She jumped off the table and took off running throughout the house like the catnip was too potent. This went on for an amusing two minutes before she came to a halt on the living room couch. Karl followed her, laughing at the insane acrobatics she performed.

"Oh my god, that was fun but exhausting" The cat said.

Karl dropped the box he was holding as he thought he just heard Bonsai talk. The cat looks up at him and said,

"Karl! Is that you? IT IS YOU! My lord I've missed that charming face of yours. I thought this was another illusion, heaven is full of them. Wow! the place looks amazing! Where did you get that recliner?

Karl started shaking. He couldn't seem to formulate any kind of response to what he was seeing and hearing.

"I, I, I...Adrian? What is this? It sounds like Adrian. What's happening?"

"Relax Karl, it is me, or as you use to call me, Snooks! but... I'm a cat?" Her response came while she looked at her cat legs and stretched her cat claws.

"Wait a minute, All I did was put that headband on Bonsai and then she, I mean you started talking...through her."

Karl walks over to Bonsai with caution and reaches for the headband. He swipes it off her head with a quick motion. It hits the floor. The cat began to purr, then jumped off the couch and wandered out the room. Karl grabbed the headband and went to find her. She was on the washing machine licking her furry legs. He put the headband back on and Adrian was in mid-sentence like she had been talking the whole time while it was off.

"-and Aunt Mary and Uncle Joe is here, I told them how you broke your thumb trying to fix the vacuum cleaner. Oh, the awful words coming out your mouth that day could put any sailor to shame. Are you still taking your meds?"

Karl Picks the cat up and gives it the biggest hug ever as he twirled around in circles. He holds Bonsai out in front of him and says,

"Snookie! I've missed you so much."

He then gave the cat an awkward kiss on the mouth. They spent hours catching up. He even made crab cakes for dinner, her favorite.

Karl began to tire, but Adrian could talk all night. He finally ended their weird reunion right after she said,

"We should go to the flea market tomorrow!"

Same ole Adrian, he thought.

"I'll see you in the morning Snooks."

He removed the headband so he could sleep but put it back on five minutes later to make sure she was still there. Yep, she was still talking away...

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