Paws & Claws - Unforgettable Experience

Today was just not my day. Straight back from campus, my brother and I were roped in as emergency catsitters - not because we are good or anything, but because there was no other option. With a quick change and lunch, we got to our duty on time - punctuality at its greatest.

Mrs. Norris gave us a list of instructions before speeding off, and I was left to watch the tire marks she left behind. Handing the kitten to my brother, who was propped up on the sofa watching TV, I told him to keep an eye on it and left to get the water bowl from the kitchen.

You could tell just by looking at the kitten that Mrs. Norris loved it because as soon as I stepped into the kitchen, I saw an entire cabinet filled with stuff for the kitty. The cabinet was painted olive brown and had a glossy finish; it was different from the rest of the cabinets due to its large grey cat-shaped knobs.

Pulling it open, I saw rows and rows of bowls of different styles and shapes. There was one that caught my attention; it was a transparent bowl with multi-colored balls inside - it seemed more like a toy than a bowl. I filled it with water and went to the living room, placing the bowl by the table, I looked around for the kitten.

Not finding her, I raised my eyes at my brother, who was laughing at the TV with no care in the world. Taking the cushion from the sofa, I threw it at him, hitting the target. Asking him about the missing kitten, I watched him look around before turning and saying, 'Oh!' with a dumb look on his face. I wanted to hit him with another pillow, but finding the kitten was the main priority now.

So we spread out looking for the kitten, searching under the sofa, tables, shelves, and everywhere else, including all the other rooms in the house. I thought it might have gone out, so I went outside, but there was no sign of the kitten in the lawn. The kitten was too small to go out on the streets, but I thought, why not check it out - it can't hurt to be thorough.

Not finding any sign, I went back inside, only to discover that my brother was now missing. Calling his name and receiving no answer, I went around looking for him and found him in the kitchen with the fridge open and a bowl of ice cream in his hand. I felt angry at this moment, and I think he realized it too and started babbling before taking a moment to catch himself and then said, 'Well, he is not in the fridge.'

I felt like a volcano had erupted inside me. I had looked everywhere, including the streets, and where did he look? 'The Fridge' 'The Fridge.' Was he serious??? Grabbing him by the ear, I dragged him to the living room, all the while telling him about the concept called responsibility.

We got back on the track of searching for the missing kitten. Just as I was about to check the bookshelf, I heard a girlish scream followed by a thump and scrambling. Rushing towards where the sound came from, I thought maybe a little girl had sneaked in to play with the kitten and got a fright from my brother.

I was totally wrong; the originator of the girly scream was my brother, who was going pale as if he had seen a ghost. On seeing me, he gave a jump and pulled me forward like a human shield. So much for being a man. Looking towards where he was pointing, I saw a laundry basket in the corner shaking violently.

Flicking on the lights, I saw the moving laundry basket had toppled over, and we found our missing kitten surrounded by heaps of catnip. His eyes were sparkling with mischief, and within a second, he zoomed out like a racing car. He went absolutely bonkers, like a naughty child on a sugar rush, leading us on a wild chase around the house.

Thankfully, the sugar rush wore off, and the kitten crashed on the floor in a blissed-out state, looking as if he had just discovered the meaning of life. By the time we were done, I had gotten a good workout, and my brother, on the other hand, was panting like crazy.

I heard a car pulling into the driveway. Lifting the curtains, I saw Mrs. Norris was back. Kicking my brother so that he would get off the ground, I heard the door opening. I hoped Mrs. Norris had a good impression of us. I greeted her, telling her the kitten had a good run and was now dozing off.

I couldn't understand the amused expression on her face until she said, 'I think your brother is the one who is tired.' Confused, I looked back and saw him dozing off on the floor too. A tick mark developed on my forehead. Excusing Mrs. Norris, I went, grabbed a pillow, and hit him on the face. He woke with a start, seeing Mrs. Norris. He put the pillow back on the sofa and ran out screaming, 'Yes! I am saved!'

I was still standing there, looking mortified. Now, Mrs. Norris turned to me and asked me if it was so hard to take care of a kitten. My cheeks reddened in embarrassment, and I told her no; he was just overreacting. Quickly getting back home, I relayed everything to my mom, complaining about her annoying son.