Fizzgig

Heather (Sister-In-Law and Yogi rescuer) came up to visit this weekend from college and I invited her to bring up her laundry too, as we rarely have enough in a load to fill the washer. Heather's laundry basket is one of those collapsible mesh rectangular bins you find at places like Linens 'n Things. We emptied it and laid it on its side while we were sorting laundry. Mithu wandered over and headed inside, clawed the bottom a bit and settled into his new cave. Fizzgig saw Mithu enjoying the cave and climbed in too. He crawled over Mithu and tried to squeeze his ample frame into the small spot Mithu had left at the back of the cave. Mithu then decided that he was not interested in sharing. At all. Now, Mithu is one of the least aggressive cats I know, and is a bit of a doormat when it comes to the other cats pushing him around. Not this time. Other-worldly growls emanated from deep in his soul as he wrestled Fizz out of the basket. Fizz tried again with similar results. We gave Fizz a conciliatory paper bag to sleep in and Mithu settled in for a nap in his cave.

Later in the evening, as I was tending to the laundry itself, I heard Mithu-cries of distress. I looked over and saw Yogi standing on top of the collapsed basket, with Mithu still inside. I shooed Yogi off, straightened the basket, then went back to the laundry. Yogi clearly thought there was some horrible monster inside the laundry basket, and was back again in a flash, pushing down on the side and pinning Mithu. More pitiful meeps from Mithu, so Yogi got shooed off again. Mithu settled back in for another nap.

Off to the side, Fizz's paper bag had gotten very close to the edge of the 2 steps that lead down into the family room. Fizz came back into the kitchen, and then dove into the bag. The end of the bag went over the edge of the step, and the bag flipped up onto its end on the first step and continued over, depositing Fizz at the bottom of the second step into the family room. He stayed in the bag for a few minutes, and only came out when we stopped laughing.

I wish every laundry day was this exciting!

Copyright © Caroline J. Swindell
January 28, 2002