Continue the story.....

[itsmeagain]

,   a male voice too. Feigning  sleep, I saw a hooded shape foostering slyly by the window. It's not likely to be the gas man, thought I, musing quietly to avoid detection. 

[poppy]

All was quiet after that, so I assumed he'd gone away. But then, in burst the hooded man. He was short and rotund and I was confident I could easily tackle him to the ground if necessary. After all, I was at the peak of physical fitness with the hectic schedule I maintained.

He threw back the hood, swept aside his cape  and I nearly fell over in surprise. It was the Major!

'Whatever are you doing here?! I thought you were in Japan! And where's Rosie??'

[itsmeagain]

'Rosie is in Japan,in some place or other near Kyoto...what has your hooded presence here , to do with her absence? Why are you sneaking..' 

' Now Ronnie ..don't '

'Ronnie..? Have you been boozing, Mr Flowers? First you..'

'My name is not Ronnie, old bean,now...is her absence a case of libidinum sapphire impetigo,as it were..? ..a kind of preponderance for the fairer gender as one calls it these days..? If so,commiserations old chap but I always suspected, even as a young girl in Chesham, that she preferred female,  er,company..now..the finances of this cattery..are you..?...'

[poppy]

I had absolutely no idea what he was warbling on about, silly old codger, I'm sure he's losing his marbles. 

'Rosie rang last night and she's coming home tomorrow. She's missing me dreadfully, and the cats, of course, but I'm afraid she didn't mention you, Major.'

'Wouldn't, would she ... doesn't need to, what.  Close telepathic bond, pater filiam foedere, and all that. Came here to discuss finances, old chap. When to expect some dividends from this little venture?'

'All in good time, Major. We're just about to ...

 

[itsmeagain]

inform you..you, you callused handed, red nosed, odd little old soak...'

'Oh ha ha ha..is that what you think..?..well I hyahby close.....'

[poppy]

 he added incoherently, then pulling himself together, 'Young man, if you want to continue employment in this establishment, it would pay to keep a civil tongue in your head.'

With that he turned heel and marched out, only stopping to ...

[itsmeagain]

wipe his hands on a teatowel, throwing it at me as he left. 

'I don't care if I never see you again', I called from a side window, just as Mrs Abercrombie, 76, from Easthampton,ambled ....

[poppy]

by on her daily constitutional. She was accompanied by Honey Puff, a spoilt and overweight little dog. Honey Puff had an aversion to cats and also to men, especially ones who yelled. He leapt at the window, pulling the lead out of Mrs Abercrombie's hand and showing remarkable agility for one who was basically a butterball, took a chunk out of my jumper sleeve and then shot past me in pursuit of ...

[itsmeagain]

Feral, a black and white whose claim to fame had been scaring a police Alsatian during a raid on a Bahrainian takeaway in Hounslow in  December last. 

'Feral, Feral, do come back ', I said, while outside, Mrs Abercrombie was searching for her specs on the floor,her hands scraping through dust in search of the missing essential. 

'I don't suppose  one would be disposed in the kindest of manners, dear lady, to do me a favour..?..', said an elderly type with a monocle.

'I am Major Flowers, and this cattery type thingummy needs to....

Edited March 30, 2024 by itsmeagain

[poppy]

buck up it's ideas and pull up it's socks. Leaving felines to wander at will and antagonise unsuspecting passers-by and their doggies is just not cricket, what! Let me assist in the retrieval of your spectacles and then we will rescue your little truant, only doing what comes naturally to the canine, don't you know!'

Meanwhile, all hell had broken loose inside the cafe with Butterball and Feral ...

[itsmeagain]

chasing each other about,demolishing a china cup and saucer bought by Rosie's mother in 1987, and toppling over an expensive portmanteau ,inside of which ,I found, a series of scented, newly handwritten,letters, on yellow air mail parchment,and, picking one up,I read, 'Dear Rosa

Do not be downhearted dearie. The only reason I cannot commit to you is the damned weather out here in deepest Okinawa. Oooh do I love sashimi and a glass of icy pina colada,  and please come...

Edited March 31, 2024 by itsmeagain

[poppy]

visit me in California. Harry and I would love for you and Johnny to stay with us in our condo. We have great facilities, indoor heated pool and jacuzzi, 24hr bar and restaurant and even a ...'

I put the letter aside for the time being, Rosie had an interesting assortment of friends and I would ask her about them when she got home, but for now I needed to sort out the ...

[itsmeagain]

mess within the kitchen, as Feral and Honey Puff together, had apparently tipped over one of our best 👌 piles of crockery, particularly her favourite creuset, and I 

[poppy]

knew there'd be hell to pay about that. I'd have to go shopping later. Firstly I needed to round up Feral and Honey Puff, bang their heads together and eject the fluffy little excrescence. Mrs Abercrombie was standing at the door, wringing her hands and repeating 'Oh dear, oh dear!' over and over. Major Flowers stood beside her and added to the chaos by shouting at me, 'Do something, damn you!'

I finally managed to grab the mutt by his collar and dumped him in the old lady's arms. 

Feral was ...

[itsmeagain]

hissing, suddenly running at Mrs Abercrombie,  whose wails made the major think

[poppy]

of a shrieking banshee. I decided she was probably having hysterics so grabbing a bucket of water, I threw it in her direction. Unfortunately, I accidentally (bahaha) missed and instead drenched the Major. This had a detrimental effect on his handlebar moustache, his natty spotted bow-tie, his odiferous smoking pipe, not to mention his temper. I watched him fascinated. At the first sign of water, Feral took off and hid up the chimney, thus solving one problem. The Major was still spluttering and gurgling when who should walk in, but Rosie!

'Darling! ...

 

[itsmeagain]

...oooh we had such a spiffing time..'

' Rosalyn, dear daughter of mine, get your coat and do a swift about move, walk swiftly..'

' Daddy.... 

[poppy]

whatever are you talking about? I've just got home. I haven't seen Johnny for a month. I'll catch up with you later but for now ...'

'I command you to come with me this instant! This ...this sorry excuse for a homo sapien just threw a bucket of water over me and has been nothing but insulting ever since you've been away. I want you to have nothing further to do with him!'

Rosie giggled, 'You do look a bit drippy Daddy, you trot off home and get dried up. I'm sure it was just an accident. Off you go now, I'm going to ...

[itsmeagain]

get a nice cup of tea, and give the cats some nice filet of fish, all the way from Japan. Did you know sashimi is supposed to be good for a cat..?...

[poppy]

'I've been feeding them fish exclusively while you've been gone, my love, you know how nothing's too good for our moggies. Now sit down, I'll make you a brew and you can tell me all about your trip.'

'There's just one thing, Johnny, why are the ...

[itsmeagain]

crockery bits all over..?...why such chaos..and who owns the dog..?. There's been a dog here..oh Johnny..do ensure no more major footprints from canines..it's ruined my chintz, also a dirndl skirt my mother gave me at Aunt Serena's 46th birthday...and another thing..what is all this about my daddy not being allowed a few shekels. Where.. oh where..is the cash?', she demanded, and I ...

[poppy]

sat her down, patted her shoulder and told her not to worry about a thing, it was all under control. 'A stray dog created a bit of havoc, I'm going to get damages from the owner so all your things will be replaced. I don't know what Daddy's talking about, he's getting very confused about things you know. I gave him all the petty cash when he said he was short. Now love, do tell me all your news.'

'Well, you know ...

[itsmeagain]

how I said I loved Japan,  well I do so..and you have looked after the kitties so well...we need to ensure the cattery is running 🏃‍♂️  efficiently,  effectively,  and in a co ordinated way...daddy is most annoyed but really to be Frank, I have endured so much rubbish from the old buffoon since when I was knee high to an ant, I am simply...

Edited April 7, 2024 by itsmeagain

[poppy]

over his nonsense. While I was away, I had plenty of time to think and I've come up with some ideas to improve our cafe, attract more clients and be more profitable. Firstly, I thought ...

[itsmeagain]

that YOU, Johnny, can be more hands on. Help the new lads bequeathed to us by Parson Cross, and remember,  Rome wasn't built in a week ..or something.  All  flapjacks now cost a fiver, no tea refills,not for pensioners nor anyone else

Edited April 7, 2024 by itsmeagain