Today is my birthday and I have been well and truly indulged by my nearest and dearest. Nathan got me a dictation machine so I can record lectures on my university course. Vernon got me an annual subscription to "New Scientist" another useful tool for my science course.

The cats got me a present too, one carefully thought out to impress. This afternoon I collected Nathan from school and went off shopping to see if I could get some inspiration for a Christmas present for Vernon. Said husband was working back at the office at home. He had the back door left open so the cats could come and go between house and garden.

On arriving back home it was dark and I walked through the back door into the kitchen. It was dark so I switched on a light. I looked, I saw, I was stunned into shocked silence. Then I reacted. "My God! Oh my GOD! Look at it! My GOD!" There it was by the door into the hall... on the floor, stretched out full length, a good 14" - 15" from nose to tail - a rat, the biggest fattest rat in the whole of Norfolk, to be sure. Freshly killed just for me.

Haven't I got the most thoughtful felines in the entire world?

Copyright © Helen Simmons
December 19, 2000