As
Fishback the (former) Cat stepped clear of the zeppelin, he blinked
in disbelief at where it had dropped him. Of all places in all
worlds, his goddess Bastet left him here at Andrew's Wholesale and
Retail, the place his human so often went to during the day.
Cautiously, the man who only days ago had been a cat entered the
building.
It was full of boxes and odds and ends, the sort of thing that humans liked, blanketed beneath a thin layer of dust. Andrew, who had slouched over on the counter, shot up, full of excitement when Fishback entered.
“Can I help you find anything?” Andrew asked.
Fishback recognized his human instantly, though he never saw him this excited. It figured. Lazy humans were no doubt ecstatic to be away from their cat masters. “Wouldn't you rather be someplace else?” asked Fishback.
“Yeah,” said Andrew. “Back at home, but I need the money.”
Fishback had heard of money before. He wasn't sure what it was, but he remembered Andrew seemed to think it was more important than his dear old cat.
“Wouldn't you rather be with your cat?”
Andrew looked at him cautiously.
“You smell like a cat person,” said Fishback.
Andrew sniffed himself, then shrugged. “Of course I would, but if I have no money, I can't feed him, and I was raised to believe you should feed your pets before you feed yourself. Truth is, I'm often so tired after work, it's all the strength I have left to feed him. Too tired to feed myself, too tired to pet him.”
And Fishback understood then all the sacrifices his human made for him. He wasn't lazy. He was dedicated.
“Are you looking to buy anything?” Andrew asked.
“I'm sorry,” said Fishback. “I have no money.”
It was full of boxes and odds and ends, the sort of thing that humans liked, blanketed beneath a thin layer of dust. Andrew, who had slouched over on the counter, shot up, full of excitement when Fishback entered.
“Can I help you find anything?” Andrew asked.
Fishback recognized his human instantly, though he never saw him this excited. It figured. Lazy humans were no doubt ecstatic to be away from their cat masters. “Wouldn't you rather be someplace else?” asked Fishback.
“Yeah,” said Andrew. “Back at home, but I need the money.”
Fishback had heard of money before. He wasn't sure what it was, but he remembered Andrew seemed to think it was more important than his dear old cat.
“Wouldn't you rather be with your cat?”
Andrew looked at him cautiously.
“You smell like a cat person,” said Fishback.
Andrew sniffed himself, then shrugged. “Of course I would, but if I have no money, I can't feed him, and I was raised to believe you should feed your pets before you feed yourself. Truth is, I'm often so tired after work, it's all the strength I have left to feed him. Too tired to feed myself, too tired to pet him.”
And Fishback understood then all the sacrifices his human made for him. He wasn't lazy. He was dedicated.
“Are you looking to buy anything?” Andrew asked.
“I'm sorry,” said Fishback. “I have no money.”
Originally
mailed to T. Danley of New Orleans, Louisiana
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