Cat and Mouse

"Oh, I didn't think you'd show up." Irene stood in the middle of the tired looking backyard, hose in hand, watering plants in an attempt to resuscitate them from the August heat and drought.

"We've been busy this summer." He looked uncomfortable like he'd accidentally stumbled on the place and wasn't sure why he was there.

"Mmm," she nodded without stopping what she was doing. She'd called the company for an estimate over three weeks ago and they promised to send somebody out in the next four to five business days.

She caught him staring at the hostas, stuck in the sunniest part of the yard, withering and leaves fading to white under the mid day summer sun.

"The neighbors cut down their trees." She made it sound as if they'd done it on purpose to ruin her plan. "It looked pretty good till then."

"I bet." He didn't sound convinced and looked like he didn't think she had a clue about gardening in spite of her age, assuming she should have amassed a little more knowledge about basics along the way.

"Yeah. Just when you think things are the way you want them, they change". He didn't seem to hear and she dropped the hose not bothering to roll it up. The bird baths needed rinsing out but she had more urgent business. "Tap on the door when you're finished". He nodded.

Irene didn't have any intention of hiring him. If it was that difficult to get him to come by to look at the place, it would be impossible for him to show up to do the job. Maybe it was time to sell the place. But what would she do about the cat? It wasn't easy to find a place that took pets.

In the kitchen, she was greeted with a blast of cool air -- a relief from outside. She finished in the bathroom and checked her reflection in the mirror. Her hair was flying in all directions. "I guess I do look a little scary."

Matilda emerged from one of her favorite napping places and was sniffing around for something to eat. "Just because I go out and come back in doesn't mean it's dinner time." The cat meowed. Irene listened to the plaintiff wail a couple minutes and then caved in, taking a can of cat food from the refrigerator. "Okay, okay, settle down."

Matilda rubbed against her legs while she scooped some of the disgusting mixture into one of the china bowls reserved for the cat. Setting it on the placemat designated as Matilda's eating spot, she watched her nibble daintily. She'd only eat a small portion of it, saving the rest for later. "One of these days you'll have to learn I'm not gone all day anymore."

Irene stood at the kitchen sink trying to see where the painter had disappeared to. She wasn't looking forward to having someone working around the house. People staring in windows, blocking doorways. "I know I'm becoming impossible," she told Matilda who didn't bother to respond to the comment but washed her face when she'd had enough to eat.

She should've told him the trees came down during the storm that knocked out their power. Irene had been without electricity for two days and nights. It had been miserable in the house with no air conditioning. Some of her neighbors went to stay with friends who'd been spared from the power outage or hotels or motels. But she couldn't leave Matilda alone. Everything in the freezer had been lost and she'd gone to the store to stock up the morning before the storm. She'd luxuriated in the cool once the power came back on.

The tapping on the door startled her and when she realized who it was, she called, "Just a minute."

"Well, I'm finished." He stood on the concrete porch and she hesitated about asking him in. She was here all alone except for the cat.

"Come inside where it's cooler." She opened the door wider to admit him. He wasn't overly large and she supposed she could knock him out with a skillet if he started to act funny.

"Thank you." He followed her to the kitchen, taking the seat she indicated.

"Can I get you something to drink?" Once the words were out of her mouth, she hoped he wouldn't take it the wrong way. She was only trying to be sociable -- something she found increasingly difficult to do.

"Water would be nice."

"All I have is tap."

"That's fine."

She filled a glass with ice and ran the faucet a couple seconds before sticking the glass under it. "There you go."

"Thanks." He took a gulp. "We don't normally work in this neighborhood."

"Really?" Irene wasn't aware there was anything wrong with the area except it was in the city.

He was scratching notes on the paper attached to his clipboard. "I had trouble finding the place."

"I tried to give directions." He grunted.

Suddenly, there was a noise from the hall. Matilda found the little suede mouse stuffed with catnip and batted it around the kitchen, sliding into the refrigerator. She bent over to free it and tossed it towards the dining room. "There you go." Matilda charged after it as eagerly as if it were the real thing. "She never gets tired of it." He barely glanced up to acknowledge the cat's presence.

"Well," he pushed away from the table and stood. "I'll be sending you some figures in a couple days."

"I appreciate it." She walked him to the door and stood there till his truck was gone knowing she'd be starting over.

Janet Yung lives and writes in St. Louis. Short fiction has appeared in Writers On The River and on-line Foliate Oak, Terrain and Flashquake among others.

Email: Janet Yung

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