A NICE NIGHT FOR A WALK

By Mark Cobain

Gus emerged from the loud pub, with a little bit of a stagger in his stride. He turned and called back to the gathered fellows there.

"Don?t forget! It was Irving who was the first knighted actor! I know; I was there!"

Gus, turned, and looked both ways down the alley. Once he got his bearings, he started to walk towards his home.

"Best get home quickly. No doubt that Jellylorum is there fretting over me. I wish she wouldn't worry so. I can take care of myself." When he realized that he was talking to himself, Gus looked around to see if anyone heard. He saw no one else in the alley, so he chuckled to himself.

"Oh, Gus, you are getting old, aren't you?" he asked himself. He shuffled down the alley towards home.

Jellylorum watched from the end of the alley as Gus moved slowly away from her. She waited until he turned onto the street at the other end, then ran down the length of the building, paralleling his path. After several blocks, she looked down to where Gus would soon be emerging, only to see a large Pollicle marching down the street, away from her and towards Gus. She knew there was no way Gus could handle a mean Pollicle. There was little time to act, and she quickly ran up the street, racing to come up behind the Pollicle before the intersection.

"I wouldn't go that way if I were you," she called out to the Pollicle. The dog turned to face her, and let out a low rumble.

"I'll go where I want!" growled the Pollicle.

"Okay, but that mean old Rumpuscat is down there, and boy, is he in a frightful mood. His eyes were blazing bright, and he was looking for a fight!"

"I'm not afraid of the Rumpuscat," said the Pollicle. "But I better go warn some of my chums. Not all of them are as brave as me!" The Pollicle turned back down the road, and walked away quickly. Jellylorum watched as the walk turned into a trot, and then a run. She quickly hid, then once Gus had passed by, she let him get a start, then started to follow him.

After a couple of blocks, Gus stopped at the entrance of a small alley. He looked around, as though trying to recognize where he was. He scratched his head, then turned into the small alley. Jellylorum started down the block after him. When she was almost to the opening of the alley, a screech and a roar made her turn.

One of those black human taxis came speeding around a corner, and now the flashing light on it's side made Jellylorum realize it was going to go zipping down the alley Gus was in. She did the only thing she could think of to keep it from running down Gus. She ran out in front of it.

The taxi continued to race down on her, then at the last moment, the tires squealed and the car dodged to the side. Jellylorum dropped flat, as close to the pavement as she could. The taxi went right over her, and the force of it passing overhead made her roll on the pavement.

When she got herself upright again, she wasn't sure whether or not that had just cost her one of her lives. She looked up, and saw that her desperate ploy had worked. The cab missed it's turn, and went down another block before turning.

She forced herself to her feet, then started following after Gus again. With his palsy, he hadn't gotten to far, and he seemed oblivious to the danger that had been narrowly averted. Jellylorum knew that the taxi in that narrow alley couldn't have missed Gus, who was slowly meandering down the middle of it.

Gus was apparently giving some thought to which way he should go, for he paused again at the opening of the alley, looking this way and that. Jellylorum watched from the darkness of the alley. Finally, Gus went straight ahead from the alley. Jellylorum started to panic. She could see that he was headed towards a construction zone, with lots of potential for falls in it.

She started to race forward, when a tall skinny form dropped in her path in the alley. She knew it in an instant.

"Macavity!" Her eyes darted back and forth, looking for a way to escape, but there was no place she could go that he couldn't follow. And she had to get past him to Gus, before he fell.

"Relax, Jellylorum. I mean you no harm, nor your charge there," Macavity said, indicating Gus. "And he is in no danger. Look, the noble Munkustrap seen his danger, and already is turning him back towards safety. If I know that Jellicle, he'll see Gus safely home, and even listen to the venerable Jellicle's tales with interest and politeness."

Jellylorum looked past Macavity, and saw what he said was true. Munkustrap was indeed there and, while she couldn't hear what they were saying, she was sure Macavity was right. She looked suspiciously at the mysterious Jellicle before her.

"What purpose would there be to harming you or him?" he asked with a smile. "I crave challenge, my dear. I don't do things of questionable legality to be malicious. I merely seek greater challenges for my intellect and my skills. What challenge is there in bringing harm to old Gus? Or you for that matter?"

She thought about it for a moment, then asked "Then what brings you here this evening, Macavity?"

"Merely curiousity, if you have a moment to answer."

"Sure," she said cautiously.

"Why do you take it upon yourself to take care of Gus like this. I see you each evening that he goes to the pub watching him so closely, and taking such risks like you have tonight. Why?"

Jellylorum looked at him a moment, then shook her head. "I don't think I could explain it to you, if you have to ask. I guess it's just one mystery that the mystery cat will have puzzle out." Then she trotted past him, going quickly to beat Munkustrap and Gus home.

Gus entered the warm home, and went over to Jellylorum, curled up comfortably on the couch.

"I'm home, my dear."

"Oh, good," she said sleepily. "I was worried."

Gus shook his head at her. "You should worry so. That nice young Munkustrap met me and walked home with me. Such a good listener, that lad. You look tired. Perhaps you should try to get some exercise. I know these evening constitutionals do me good. I think I'll walk to the club again tomorrow night."

Jellylorum mumbled a good night to the elder cat, then went to sleep, knowing she'd need her rest again for the next night.

The End

This page and all of its contents are � 1999, Mark Cobain