Here Comes Treble: Mogzi’s Christmas
Isabel Bradley tells in prose and verse of a fraught Christmas looking after (and not looking after) her son's pet cat Mogzi.
My son was about to leave for his annual holiday and asked if I would visit his flat twice daily to feed his cat Mogzi. He was leaving on Christmas Eve and would be back the day after New Year.
Being a loving mother, I agreed, though cats are not my favourite animals. I’m inclined to suffer hay-fever attacks in their presence. Bergen and his girlfriend, Jacqui, were driving a fair distance to their destination. They sent text messages every couple of hours to let me know they were safe as long-distance driving in South Africa can be dangerous. They didn’t mention the cat, and I completely forgot about her…
A ‘Meowey Christmas’
It was the night before Christmas
and all was still.
Not a mouse in the house -
Thank Goodness!
We slept at peace, didn’t even snore…
Next morning we woke,
To each other we spoke
Words of love and affection
And “Merry Christmas” said we.
Off we went to meet friends
And drink a glass of bucks-fizz
Or two…
And then it struck me:
I should have gone
On the night before Christmas
To feed Mogzi the cat…
Poor kitty was starving,
No food did she have
From one morning to next!
In a sweat I burst out –
We had to escape,
Rush to feed my son’s pet.
Apologies were made,
And off we went at high speed…
To be met with “meowey-Christmas”
And a rubbing of furred head
On our legs.
With Mogzi safe-fed,
Christmas-day we shared
With friends
And enjoyed a grand meal.
Later on in the day,
Back to Mogzi I sped
And gave her a bowl-full of pellets.
I closed the door safely behind me –
And left the keys locked inside.
Once again in a sweat I burst out…
The cat needed feeding another six days!
Luckily Leon –
‘Cat burglar’ of another kind –
Stealthily entered,
Without breaking.
Keys were rescued,
Cat was safely fed each day,
And on his return,
Mogzi greeted her master with
“Meowey New Year”…
Mogzi is a forgiving cat. She greeted me with a welcoming ‘meow’ or ‘prrr’ and rubbed herself affectionately against my leg whenever I appeared. Although she was endearing, her fur still made me sneeze.
Perhaps next year Bergen should ask someone with more affinity for cats to ensure that Mogzi remains nourished while he takes a holiday!
Until next time…. ‘here comes Treble!’
© Copyright Reserved
by Isabel Bradley
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For more of Isabel's superb poems, stories and columns please click on http://www.openwriting.com/archives/here_comes_treble/
