Today, I had a new washing machine delivered. (At Last!) I have been without one since about October as my last one *died* and I haven't been able to afford to replace it until this months pay-check.

Pandora has never seen a *working* washing machine. Until today, that is. My washing machine was broken just before she arrived.....

The cats dishes and water bowl are kept next to the washing machine. No big deal, Pandy wasn't worried, that's where they've always been, and *the monster* has always been *quiet*.

As she was *snacking*, oblivious to the *washing machine*, it gurgled and started to fill with water. Her head shot up out of the food bowl, her ears were forward, as were her whiskers, and her eyes were wide in shock. The *thing* was *ALIVE*! It gurgled some more, and started filling faster.... so Pandora did what *any* self-respecting cat would do - she hissed, puffed out with all her fur on end and started backing away s-l-o-w-l-y....

Then it started churning the clothes. WELL!! If she was human, at that point she would have started gibbering. (You know, the real *babbling* kind). She turned tail and fled - straight to Tiger, who, as a well educated *cat about town* had seen it all before. She gibbered at him, and so he quickly marched into the kitchen to see what all the fuss was about.... The conversation went like this....

Tiger: "It's a washing monster."
Pandy: "A what?"
Tiger: "A washing monster. Humans put their fur in it, because unlike us they are incapable of washing themselves"
Pandy: "Oh. Will it eat me?" (Pandy creeps up behind Tiger and sticks her nose in his fur)
Tiger: "No. You're perfectly safe. Look, I'm eating" (Tiger takes a mouthful of biscuit, *Washing monster* gurgles, Tiger jumps two feet backwards and sits on Pandora, who promptly hisses and puffs up again)
Pandy: "You said it was dead!"
Tiger: "No I didn't" (and so the conversation goes on...)

Pandy is not convinced. She is V-e-r-y suspicious. She is eating next to the *washing monster*, but her meals are interspersed with hisses, and a puffed tail, just to keep *IT* under control you understand.....

Life is never boring...

Copyright © Helen Miles
March 13, 2001