Mekia = M-eh-key-a
“Mr. Mekia, tell us a story! Please!”
“Umm, I don’t know, I have to get back to my house soon. I’ve been gone for over 3 hours now.”
“Please, please, please! Mr. Mekia! Just a little one!”
“Well, ok, just a short story. Forty-six years ago in early December, my tale begins. The sun was falling off the edge of the world for the evening as I lumbered up onto the porch and knocked at the door after another 3 hour excursion into the back woods. Patiently, I waited to be let inside. Time ticked by slowly, however, and my sore feet began to ache. I laid down on the porch and my heavy eyelids began to close. All of a sudden, out of nowhere, I heard a sly voice behind me.
“Now what do we have here?” the voice jeered.
“Frantically I searched for the origin of that appalling voice, but there was no soul, that I could see, around. Eyes are known to fail, but noses never do, so I sniffed around the porch hunting for that devilish creature. The voice hissed again. This time, however, it was not cunning enough and my eyes caught the…the…the…cat.”
“A CAT????” the pups piped.
“Yes, a cat.” Mr. Mekia moaned.
“I had seen this c-c-cat around before, but this was the first time it had come up to the house. It was a disgusting animal. Its body was long and scraggily and appeared to have not been fed for a very long period of time save the few mice and small rodents it had eaten from around the yard. Its fur was white with black spots – or maybe it was black with white spots? I couldn’t tell. Nevertheless it was ugly in my eyes as it sat on the pasty white-painted fence and licked a paw and swept it across its face.”
“So, how is the human unit that inhabits this cube with red shutters?” the cat inquired.
“They’re excellent, why do you ask? You don’t plan on living here do you?” I questioned.
“Why else would I have been hanging around this property for the past couple of weeks? Of course I plan on living here!” declared the cat.
“Well you can’t live here. We have a full house. There is no room.” I said
“Well, obviously, someone will have to leave!” replied the cat.
“I don’t think so,” I answered, “because I have no plans on kicking anyone out!”
“We’ll see.” said the cat.
A few days later that cat had moved herself into the garage. I decided to have a heart-to-heart talk with it. Say, cat, I said, “I imagine you think it’s just me who doesn’t want you here, but the truth is that it would be deadly for you to actually take up residence here. “
“And why is that dog?” questioned the cat.
“Four reasons – Duncan, Will, Shelley and Nike. Shelley was born down the road in a barn and brought home by 9 year old Alexa, who’s mother had said “no cats” but whose father, in a very out-of-character mood, had told her she could keep it when she brought it home to show everyone. Shelley had 45 kittens, none of whom are alive today. Of the 45 Duncan and Will lived here the longest. I think they were allowed to stay because they played together in rather entertaining fashions as they mounted surprise attacks at one another and put on extreme acrobatic shows. Their toilet habits however, got them into trouble. They were competitors with one another and not only marked their territory outside but began marking it in the basement as well. Once that was discovered, their end was near. They went off in the family car together and never returned. I always suspected they were drowned in the river; I know the cat carriers they left in came back empty.
Nike’s situation was very sad as well. Nike was barely weaned when he got into trouble. He had actually been sleeping in a bed alongside the youngest child in the house and perhaps if this little girl had been more responsible and fed him once in a while, he wouldn’t have gotten into so much trouble about jumping on the kitchen countertops and helping himself to the family’s dinner every day. I’m not sure what happened to Nike, but the youngest child cried for many days, when he disappeared. I suspect he too went for a long car ride.
I know for a fact that the mother cat, Shelley, was once taken across the river and left there. I was quite pleased to no longer be annoyed by her myself, but was as shocked as the rest of the family when she reappeared one day about 6 months later, only to secure a breeding spot for her kittens inside the drop ceiling in the basement. The whole basement was turned upside down trying to find where she had hidden herself and the surprise of finding six newborn kittens seemed to drive the family elders’ berserk. What happened after that is unspeakable even for me. I’m sure that I could adjust to your presence here. The only rules I would insist on are that you use the litter pan and do not wash your paws in my water dish. I will have little to do with you as I cannot stand the trauma of the awful deaths I associate with you felines. Still want to stay?”
“I don’t believe any of your high tales. See you inside Doggg!”
“So, did she actually move in Mr. Mekia?” the pups wanted to know.
“Unfortunately, yes.” answered Mr. Mekia. “and you know that black and white, or maybe white and black cat, I still can’t tell which it is, but you know that dreadful cat that lives with me now?” asked Mekia.
“Yeah, that dreadful beast that hisses and swats at us when we come near?” the pups moaned.
“That’s her. So, far she is still here, but not for long, I’ll come up with a reason for the Family to dispose of her, just like I did with the others!” divulged Mekia as he turned to go home.
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