Chapter 21

A Home for Calico

Time for this beautiful cat to have some nourishment,” Mrs. Oliver said, getting up. “How about a bit of tuna? I’ve got a can around here somewhere. What do you think, Colin?”

“Purrrrrrrrrrr,” Calico said, arching her back and rubbing against Mrs. Oliver’s leg.

“You stay here with Buster, Tramp,” Colin said. “We’ll get Calico some tuna.” Colin followed Mrs. Oliver and Calico into the house.

Buster twirled on his porch perch.

“Buster, calm down,” Tramp said.

“You calm down. You don’t have to stay in the rafters just to stay alive. I don’t care who that cat is a friend of. She’ll never be my friend.” Buster twirled and twirled.

“Let me tell you what this cat is all about. Calico could have had mice for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. But she chose to eat the fish and drink the milk Big Bob gave her. She was a friend to every animal in that pet store I came from. Her baby disappeared. She wants to find him more than she wants to eat a parakeet. Get it?” Tramp said.

“I’ll have to see. One big gulp, and I’m gone to bird heaven,” Buster said.

He flew to the top of door and looked through the old pin oak trees to Sheridan Street.

Mrs. Oliver opened the upstairs window and Buster flew up. On the sill he looked back down at Tramp. “Well, maybe I’ll be safe in my case until I’m proven wrong and dead, eaten alive by you know who,” he said.

Colin came back out onto the porch, turned and looked up at Mrs. Oliver and said, “Thanks, Mrs. Oliver. It’ll only be a little while until we find the cat’s owners… or a home.”

“Should we give her a name?” Colin asked.

“Calico. It’s Calico,” Tramp barked. Buster, now on Mrs. Oliver’s shoulder tweeted in her ear.

“How about Calico?” Mrs. Oliver asked.

“Sounds good,” said Colin. “She looks like a Calico.”

Buster tweeted and twirled on Mrs. Oliver’s shoulder, pleading not to be left alone.