Tales from the Walauwa:

Leela and Lebanon

by Cat O' Logge

For once the daughter of the house was at home on what everyone refers to as a week day. It was just another day for me, and boy was it good to see her at home! Quite cheered my day to hear that she will not be going to university as she usually does. So I took to following her about for the day.

Now if a cat ever wants to lose some weight (to attract a tabby, maybe), following the daughter about the house is really not the recommended thing to do. I don't really think I need to lose any weight, and what else has a cat to do around his home anyway?

Early in the morning she chose to sit in front of the television. "Amma, the Middle East crisis!" shouted my beloved the moment the TV came to life. And Mother of the house came running.

"I sure am glad I'm studying International Relations in 2006 and not in 2050 or anything... Look at the wars I'd have to study..." . "The poor children" sighed Mother of the house.

Blowing things up

It took me a while to realize that people were actually causing all those fires, blasts and such that I could see on TV. I mean here I am, can't even stand one of those awful firecrackers that they light whenever there is some good feast around and those people were really blowing things up. I could hear the noise, I could see the flames and by some weird feeling I could also feel the heat of it all. I suppose this had something to do with the fact that once I happened to step on a nila koora which was red hot (another foible of these mindless humans).

I purred loudly and crept under the chair the daughter of the house was seated on. She reached down and lifted me onto her lap (hmmm... I must practice on my purring, it can sure take me places). "Same thing here also..." said the mother. Just then Leela the maid walked in with the mid morning tea.

"Apoy Hamunona, m, koh,da?" asked Leela nearly dropping the tray carrying the mugs of tea, for her eyes were glued to the television (no such luck, the tea reached the daughter and mother quite safely).

When Hamunona answered that it was in the Middle East, Leela finally dropped the tray (drat it, why not a few moments before, ha?). Rather agitatedly she proceeded to tell them that her sister's daughter was working as a maid in Lebanon.

Mother of the house took her aside and later I saw Leela on the telephone with mother of the house standing beside her. I only got to know what had passed over the phone when Leela was recounting everything to Magilin in the kitchen. "Akka keevva, kellata karadarayak nathey kiyala".

Relief

Magilin listened to all this and heaved a loud sigh of relief. All appeared to be well... oops a bit too soon to say that ... because mother of the house came into the kitchen soon after and hovered about the kitchen looking very angry.

After a very traumatic silence she proceeded to ask Leela to come into the dining room with her. Now one thing must certainly be said here... every cat loves a bit of drama. I do understand that humans think that only dogs can grin and laugh with their stupid tongues hanging out, but look very closely, cats like a bit of spice in their lives too.

Aha, mother of the house appears to have been tipped off about the village postman whose letter delivering always uncannily coincides with Leela sweeping up the garden or some such robust outdoor activity. Leela vehemently denied any such liaison.

But mother of the house, instead of asking her put a stop to any thing (I was hoping she'd do this and make Leela breakdown in tears, which is more dramatic) said that if there is such a 'thing' then the walauwa should be told about it. Ah, what an anticlimax. Think I will go and wake up Rudolph, could use some fooling around.