TOP CAT
It is day shift roll call, lots of stretching, scratching and yawning going on. The Top Cat is giving out orders. “Tom … there is a report that a gang of mice has taken over the sheep shed. Check it out.”
“Intel has it there is some suspicious activity in the pasture near the corn field. Sounds like gophers,” he announced.
“Tabby, Felix, get out there and deal with it. Call for backup if necessary,” he added.
“I have a meeting with the brass today so I will be out of the office. If there are no questions, you have your assignments so get to work, and never forget there is danger everywhere out there so be careful and no pussyfooting around!"
Morning arrives early in the summer on a South Dakota Marsha who is fourteen and her brother Derek who is 11, are trying to sneak in some extra sleep.
Mother is saying, “Mash, Derek … c’mon sleepy heads, rise and shine. This is your last call.”
Mash, the family nickname for Marsha , was in that wonderful place she called “coasting,” not quite asleep but not yet fully awake. She heard the unmistakable sound of dog tags tinkling on the stairs. The family dog Gilbert was on his way. She jumped out of bed, pulled on her gown and slippers and met him at the top of the stairs.
She said, “Let’s go get him; let’s go get Derek.” And away they went.
Gilbert leaped onto the bed and began to cover Derek’s head with cold, wet kisses.
Derek began to shout, “Gilbert, you mutt! Get out of my bed and leave me alone!”
Gilbert began to hop back and forth barking and pulling on the blankets.
Mash said, “All right, Derek The Wreck, up and at ‘em.”
Derek complained, “It’s still dark outside, get out of here Monster Mash!”
At that very moment from somewhere out in the yard, a large rooster began to announce the arrival of dawn.
Mash dressed for the day in her usual overalls and boots, and as she came down the stairs, Mother greeted her with a basket. She said, “Mash, if you want eggs for breakfast you will need to visit the hen house first thing this morning.”
Mash automatically rocked up on one hip, put one foot perpendicular to the other, stared out to a place on the horizon that only she could see and issued one of her world famous sighs.
Ordinarily Mash would have complained, but today she willingly took the basket and headed out for the chicken coop. She decided that now that she was 14 it was time to start acting more grown up.
After gathering a dozen eggs, Mash stopped in the barn to watch Poppa as he was finishing up the milking.
As usual there were 8 or 10 cats all sitting quietly near Poppa waiting for their morning treat which was a huge bowl of warm milk fresh from the source.
Mash inquired, “Poppa, can I help?”
Poppa was both surprised and pleased.
He instructed Mash to “Do something about all these pesky cats always underfoot and getting in my way.”
There was one old cat that had been on the farm since Mash was a baby. He was the only cat who came near the house.
Nobody knows exactly why or when, but somebody began calling him “Pete.”
He was the “top cat” on this farm. The rest of the cats respected Pete and never challenged his authority.
Mash looked around and asked Poppa, “Where is Pete?”
Poppa scratched his head and replied, “I dunno. Been a spell since I seen him last, come to think of it.”
Mash returned to the house and asked mother if she had seen Pete.
Every now and then, Pete could be found sitting on the back step of the house with his prize catch of the day, usually a mouse or gopher. He seemed to be saying, “I may be getting old, but I’m still on the job.”
Mother said, “You know, now that you mention it honey, it has been a long time since that rascal has left me a gift on the porch.”
As soon as breakfast was over, everyone went looking for Pete, but with no luck.
Derek and Poppa rounded up the usual suspects and began to interrogate them, but not one of them said a word. They just sat there with their mouths open, tongues hanging out and wagging their tails. Those dogs!
Finally everyone agreed that Pete was very old, and probably would never be coming back.
They had a memorial service for Pete and went about their chores.
Later that same day, Mother was quite surprised when she opened the back door and she saw a very familiar looking cat sitting there with this enormous mouse.
Mother at first thought it was Pete, because he looked so much like him, but this cat was much younger than Pete.
When the rest of the family gathered around, it was decided this was probably Pete’s son or maybe his grandson.
Everyone agreed he needed a name.
Many names were suggested and discarded. Finally Poppa said, “I’m going to give this cat a name and I don’t want to hear no more yammering from about it. We got work to do here and can’t be wasting a lotta time on this here foolishness. “
Poppa walked over to the cat and took up a very “official” looking position. He gravely intoned, “From this day forward among all the speaking creatures on this farm you will henceforth and forevermore be known as ‘Re-Pete.'"
Having so decreed, he said, “Now let’s get some work done around here for a change!”
Poppa returned to the barn to clean and put away the milking equipment, When he was done, he came into the house and announced that he had to run into to town to take care of a few errands, but would be back by supper.
Mash went to the hen house to finish gathering the eggs, Derek went out to feed the pigs and Mother began putting clothes on the line to dry.
Just before dark, they all heard the pickup coming up the drive and knew that Poppa was back.
As soon as Poppa got in the house, he began to call for Mash.
She came to him immediately, and he pulled a crudely wrapped package from behind his back and said, “This is for you.”
She was confused and surprised and madly tore the wrapping paper off to reveal a beautiful dress inside.
She began to cry and jumped into Poppa’s arms.
He said, “Sometimes I may seem a little tough on you, but farming is a tough business. I want you to know that I love you more than I have words to say it. I’m getting tired of seeing you in overalls and boots. You are 14 years old now, and it’s high time you began to dress like the beautiful girl you are.”
Meanwhile, Re-Pete retired to the barn. He told his assistant, “You know where to find me.” He located his favorite spot and settled in for a well deserved nap. He spent the day dreaming of striking terror into the hearts of barn mice and being Top Cat on this farm for many years to come.
© Timothy D. Culey
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