There were no cats last night. Not a single one. It was glorious. I slept the slept of the righteous non cat owner. Admittedly i think the entire neighborhood slept in the absence of caterwauling. Good humor has once again descended through out the land. I’m still making the good coffee this morning though. Since I went ahead and opened the bag yesterday. besides, it’s Friday and Friday deserves a treat. S let’s get going.
I have no idea where this is going but I strongly suspect murder. Not sure why, but I think that may be where this story is heading.
Friday, September 16th: I am so glad to see you.
“I am so glad to see you,” he said. I smiled. While I loved the old man at the moment I was happy to see the outside of a car. I would be even happier to see the inside of a bathroom. The last stretch of road had been none too smooth and my overly full bladder had not taken the extra shaking well. I smiled and made my escape as he nodded understandingly and went to greet those who came with me. Technically of course my coming was incidental. I was merely the driver. I escorted the others. They were the guests. I, the mere chauffer. They knew I knew the old man and was trusted by him, which was why I was tapped to drive them out. He didn’t trust strangers at his home often and each had to be vetted. They had passed inspection and offered invitations. Since I was already familiar, I drove, that way he didn’t have to provide directions to an extra person and could maintain the fiction that the location of his ho0me was a secret from the outside world.
I was certain he knew that the outside word knew where he lived. However he was content to believe that if he didn’t actually provide directions then no one would be able to find him. I hadn’t the heart to tell him that even though I knew the way by heart when I put the address into the car’s GPS it took me right to his front door.
I made my wa to the bathroom, content with my role as simple driver. I would spend the weekend amusing myself and staying out of sight. I was competent to arrange their arrival but everyone was agrees that I should not be involved in the discussions.
As I found the bathroom and gratefully entered it’s confines I wondered if they actually believed that their deliberations were a secret. Speculation about the potential merger had been in the news for months. Speculation as to what such an event would mean were on nearly everyone’s lips and I had no doubt that the number of people who knew discussions were to begin this weekend were no doubt legion.
‘Not my concern,’ I reminded myself as I gratefully availed myself of the facilities. Bladder relieved, hands washed and feeling much better about life I dried my hands and made my way out of the bathroom and towards the back of the house. The others would be staying in the house however to avoid any stray words falling into my ears, I would be staying in the small guest house at the back of the property. It was not only a separate building but quite a distance from the main house.
‘I couldn’t even lip read with binoculars,’ I thought.
Waiting for me was Austin. He was sitting in a golf cart and watching the back door.
‘Feel better,” he asked.
“Enormously,” I replied. “Are you to escort me out of earshot?
“I am and I was told to be quick about it,” Austin replied. He patted the empty seat next to him in the cart.
“Beginning business so soon?” I asked as I climbed in. My legs and hind end weren’t too thrilled with once again sitting in a motorized vehicle but I doubted it could be helped.
“Oh no,” Austin told me as we began the drive out to the guest house. “They won’t begin business until the morning, but someone might say something or start waving paperwork around and then where would we be. You could accidentally see something like a letterhead or over hear an adjective and how would that look?”
“I laughed as Austin raced the little cart along the pathway, going as fast a it would go. I didn’t take it personally. I had been in all sorts of vehicles with Austin over the years. He was of the mind that if the vehicle wasn’t going at top speed than it wasn’t being used appropriately. . I held on and tried not to envision the cart toppling over. Soon enough we pulled up to the house and Austin stopped the cart.
Ten til Midnight 