The Cat Cafe Series:

CHAPTER III

Red oriental rugs hugged the wooden floors and expensive oil paintings stood out from the walls. An old wooden ceiling fan hung from the center of the high stucco ceiling. It's blades lazily twirled round and round in slow motion and filled the room with eerie creaking sounds. In the far corner stood a gleaming brass coat-rack adorned with a black satin tuxedo, a top hat, and a carved ebony walking stick. Under it all stood four very pointy black lizard boots. King unfastened his cape and it fell to the floor. He removed the tuxedo from the coat-rack and slipped into it, all the while admiring his reflection in a massive mirror. Then he removed his Burger King Home of The Big Whopper crown and replaced it with the top hat. I was appointed a chamber next to King's. Its closet housed furs, evening gowns, and glittery high-heeled slippers. Against the South wall stood a huge, intricately carved, oak dressing table with six drawers and a tall bevelled mirror. Its surface was covered with antique perfume bottles filled with costly French perfumes. In the center stood a vase of crimson carnations. King opened the closet, pointed to the garments inside, and instructed me to dress for dinner. "This once all belonged to grandmother, but now it is all yours, fancy feline. Dinner will be served at the clang of the bell." My selection was a peach colored silk gown, a string of pearls, orange velvet evening slippers and a fox capelet. By the time I finished dressing I was so excited that I quickly forgot about my empty stomach. Posing in the mirror I smiled at my reflection. The soft shade of peach did wonders for my complexion, and the capelet was even more luxurious than my own coat. A bell rang three times. King entered, took my arm, and escorted me down a narrow corridor and through an arched doorway. The stark white walls of the dining room were warmed by heavy oak furnishings of days gone bye. Its long carved table was covered with an off white linen cloth which, in turn, was covered with fine china, delicate crystal goblets and tall vases of beige pussy willows. Groups of candles stood on either side of the mantle, their flames flickering strange textures on the walls. Between the candles hung a huge oil portrait of an elderly cat with grey sideburns and bent whiskers. The inscription on the brass plate at the bottom of the frame read "King Kat I." King pulled a tall upholstered chair from the table. "Be seated, Fancy," he said. Two servants attired in white tuxedos entered the room carrying etched silver trays and began to fill our platters. A third servant entered and poured wine into the crystal goblets. "Tell me, King," I asked between forkfulls of lobster thermador, "how did you acquire all of this riches? And with all of this luxury, why do you hang around the Burger King trash can? And why do you wear the Burger King Home of the Big Whopper crown?" "I will share all of my secrets with you in time. "But for now, let's partake of the food and wine." "ESMERELDA, King .... my name is ESMERELDA!" I shouted.

CHAPTER IV

And so it went for 30 days and nights. But my questions were left unanswered. By day we played chess and watched soap operas, living for the evenings when we would dress up and dine for hours. Each night before dinner I sat at the dressing table and painted my face with the contents of its drawers. Of all the tinted powders and tins and tubes of color the drawers held, I was especially fascinated with one magical gleaming tube. Once uncovered and its bottom twisted, it revealed a bright red creamy substance which I delighted in smearing on my mouth. The 31st day came and went as usual. After a leisurely dinner of chicken and ribs supreme and imported white wine I retired to my chamber. King had left a scanty pair of purple panties trimmed with a purple puff of feathers on the bed. I removed the coral gown, slipped into the panties, and slid under the covers. The wine had left me drowsy. Just as my eyes were beginning to close, there came a knock at the door. King entered and sat at the edge of the bed. He was clad in black satin shorts, a smile, and the Burger King Home of the Big Whopper crown. I couldn't help laughing. "Tell me, King, what's with the crown?" I asked. The time has come, Fancy," he answered. "I will show you." He slowly rose from the bed's edge and dropped his black satin shorts to his paws. He untied a string at his waistline and began to unwind something which was wrapped around and around his body. Minutes later, he was still unwinding this thing. It was now tangled around the room many times, and his spare tire had mysteriously vanished. At first I couldn't grasp what was happening. When this thing was finally unwound King looked at me and grinned a wicked grin baring his gleaming teeth. He pointed his paw between his legs and proudly cried: "INTRO--DUCING ............ THE BIG WHOPPER!" Never had I seen anything like it. All at once I realized what this "thing" was. It was the biggest whopper I'd ever laid eyes on. King began to sing the Burger King song:   "Aren't you hungry? ..... Aren't you hungry? ......   Aren't you hungry for Burger King now?" In one giant leap I sprang through the archway and made my way through a tunnel of rooms leading to the landing. Had to get away. It was then that I saw the padlock on the exit door and fainted. I awoke on the sofa sometime later to a servant pressing an icebag to my head. It was morning. King was sitting before the chess board grooming his fur. Yellow rays of sunlight streamed in from a nearby window and pointed at his bald head. He lit a cigar and a stream of smoke drifted upward and reached the ceiling in an unbroken chain. Half dazed. My eyes followed the chain ..... and all at once my escape plan was formed. It was crazy. Would it work? Could it work? Yes. If I played it cool. I rose from the sofa, still a bit dizzy, and joined King at the chess board as though nothing had happened. I told him that the last thing I remembered was passing out from the wine. King seemed relieved. His mouth widened in a grin pulling his whiskers up to his large oval ears. I forced myself to stay calm and make conversation. Besides, I was still curious. "Tell me, King, with all of this extravagance why do you hang around the Burger King trash can?" "Because it is the home of the Big Whopper and I am the original Big Whopper." "Oh, dear, don't explain .... it's okay. Don't explain." I quickly switched on the TV to interrupt his train of thought. Thank goodness it worked and kept him from finishing his big whopper story.

CHAPTER V

CHAPTER VI

I quietly entered King's chamber and stood at his bedside where he slept heavily from the mixture of wine and sleeping powder. From his expression it was apparent that he was dreaming about the big whopper ...... and me. I walked to the window, opened it, and nervously gazed down into the streets below. I tip-toed to King's bedside and pulled the covers down. His body was clad in yellow satin shorts. I removed them, untied the string at his waist, and put one paw beneath his body lifting him slightly from the bed so that I could begin the unwinding process. Being that it was difficult to calculate the exact length needed, I would have to unwind it all. This I did, and out the window and down I lowered it just like a chain. Fully unwound it met with the second story. A breeze blew past it and stiffened it ever so slightly. King smiled and mumbled in his sleep. I jumped onto the window ledge, mounted the big whopper and slid all the way down to the second story. Seconds later I was on the ground. My crazy escape plan had worked. I gazed up at the big whopper for a moment. It was dancing in the breeze. And then I ran through the streets like a bat outta hell.

CHAPTER VII - Conclusion

Dawn broke. It began to snow tiny polka-dots. Once again, I was chilled to the bone and hungry. Once again, I was a stray. I joined several cats feasting near a trash can and managed to grab a chicken bone. One hissed and looked at me cross eyed. The others just stared. I must have been some sight: Sequins and diamonds and a chicken bone hanging from my mouth. Had to think seriously about the future. I had had my share of adventure. Had that butterfly not tempted me, none of this would have happened. Did I want to remain a stray forever? Somehow, I wasn't very eager to cope with life on the streets anymore. Needed a plan. No. Not a plan. Just a home. A simple home with someone to feed me and care for me and love me. Should I try to find that bridge back to Manhattan? Or, should I chance my fate here in this place called Brooklyn? BROOKLYN? .... why does that name suddenly bring visions of a home? Why was it so familiar? Think I had once seen it written somewhere. Hmmm..... Yes. I think it was near the word "Christmas". Oh, dear, sometimes I am so absent minded. I REMEMBER! THE BANDAID! IT WAS ON THE BANDAID! It was part of an address of a new home for me. Let's see: Brooklyn ...... Christmas ..... Tan Street ? No. Beige Street? No. It was Brown Street. Yes. Brown Street. it's all came back to me: Melissa F - 5008 Brown Street - Brooklyn, USA - By Christmas. Yep. That was to be my new home. I was supposed to be a Christmas present for some-one named Melissa, who lives there. I remember it all and prayed there was time. I bolted like a maniac to the nearest newsstand. The New York Times headline announced "Twelve People Murdered" ..... Somewhere off the the side were the words "Season's Greetings." The date above the headline was December 15th. Ten days till Christmas. Had only 10 days to find this Brown Street. For the next few days I walked in all directions praying that I wouldn't run into King. I passed many street signs. None said Brown Street. It was once again growing dark and I was weary. I crawled into an alley and lied down alongside two other strays. You could tell they were married. "George, I'm hungry," the fat one whined in the moonlight. "You are always hungry, Yetta Katz. That is why you are so fat," the male replied. "C'mon, George.... let's go out to eat.....I'm hungry. There's never any good trash on this block, and I'M HUNGRY!" "Stop nagging me, Yetta. You just devoured a half a fish from the corner can." "But, George, I want you to take me to Brown Street. C'mon, George." BROWN STREET??? My ears perked up! "C'mon, George, let's go to 5008 Brown Street......the house with the barbeque and the great garbage." "OK Yetta, you win. Anything to shut you up." George walked, Yetta waddled, and I followed. So, Thanks to the kind lady who found me in front of her office building, and thanks to George and Yetta Katz who guided me to Melissa's doorstep, I arrived at my new home just in time for Christmas. It wasn't a moment too soon for me as I'd had it with the dangers and perils of life on the streets. After the formal introductions, and after gulping down an entire bowl of Friskies, I promised Melissa that we'd be the best of friends as long as she didn't dream up some silly name for me. You see, I told her that my name was appointed by my creator, and that I always was, and always will be, ESMERELDA THE GYPSY CAT.

The Moral?  AN INSIDE CAT IS A SAFE CAT!

To see more photos of Esmerelda, and photos of the other fantasy dolls that I created,  click here

<><>THE CAT CAFE' NICKELODEON INDEX <><>

Grooming: Why & How	Join the king of the Jungle in his never-ending search for wine
Can Cats Dance?	I'm convinced. But I'll let you be the judge!
Do Cats Dream?	Sure they do! Enter Red-Devil's tail-twitching dream right now!
Cat & the Faerie Forest	The cat was to rid the forest of the evil crow, but somehow he ....
The Fish Bowl	Ever wonder what your cat *really* sees in the fish bowl?
The Spay/Neuter Witch	An important message from the Spay/Neuter Witch
Kitten Growth Chart	Learn about the many phases and stages of kitten growth
Age Comparison Chart	24 cats show you how old your cat is in human years
Cat Retirement Homes	What will become of kitty when you are no longer around?
Pet Medical Insurance	Learn about coverage. It makes a whole lot of sense!
Poetry by Candlelight	Diabella's Cat Poetry by Candlelight
Esmerelda the Gypsy Cat	When she found out why King Kat wore that crown, she fainted!
Koko Loves Kittens	A "talking" gorilla and her beloved kitties. Very tender images.
Tiny & the Oak Tree	A must read true story as told by a vet
Goodbye from Alex	A final word from kitty Alex

<> Don't forget: If you've enjoyed your stay, gratituties may be left at the door for Alex <>