Short Story

the other day inspiration hit me to write a short story. Here it is I hope you like it.

Arthur the Cat….. by Tim Young 19th Feb 2007

On the 17 February 2007 Albert Thomas had a heart attack. He lived at 27 Crabtree Crescent, he had lived there for 10 years, now it seamed as if his life was slipping away as a searing pain gripped his chest. He fell but managed to call out a very week cry for help. Fortunately for Albert Thomas his care person was cleaning the house and she heard his cry. A sort time later and ambulance arrived and took Albert Thomas to the local hospital for treatment.
On the 25 February Albert Thomas was pronounce fit by the doctors and allowed to go home.
Laying in his bed he thought about his life, it had been a good one, he was not afraid of death at all, he knew he time would come, but he was glad it had not happened yet.

The next day after he had woken up from a very deep sleep he thought he heard some purring he raised himself up from his bed and there sitting on the end of his bed was the thinnest cat he had ever seen it looked like it had not eaten in days.
“Oh my” he said “ where have you come from, I think you could do with some food and a drink” He reach out for the cat but the cat backed away “ its OK I’m not going to hurt you” he said as he reached out again, but still the cat kept his distance.
Albert Thomas got up dressed had quick breakfast and went out to the shops, he told the cat to “stay there I’m going to get you some food”
An hour later Albert Thomas arrived home a little out of breath with a tin of cat food.
He put two saucers out for the cat one with food in it and one with some milk. “ Where are you” called Albert Thomas “ I have something for you” He had not heard the cat come in but when he turned around there was the cat on the kitchen table so thin and frail, the cat looked at the food and the milk and then at Albert Thomas.
“ Well I get on and let you eat in peace”. Albert Thomas walked in to his front room sat in the most comfortable chair by the window and read awhile before nodding off to sleep.
He awoke and went to the kitchen remembering the Cat. When reach the kitchen he was surprised to see that the food and the milk were still there “ that’s strange” he said to himself.
The rest of the evening was spent thinking about the cat, he wondered where it had come from and whom it belonged too.
The next day there was the cat again sitting on the end of the bed, Albert Thomas looked at the cat long and hard, was it his imagination of did the Cat look a little better from yesterday?
He went down stairs and put two fresh saucers out again he used the rest of the tin of food and some fresh cold milk. Still the cat would not let him come close he longed to hold the cat and stroke it till he could here it purr with happiness.
This process went on for several days, each day he would put food and milk out for the Cat and each day the food and the milk were neither eaten or drunk, but amazingly as the days past the cat started to put on weight and even seamed to be coming closer to him though he was still unable to reach out and touch him. “ I guess you will learn to trust me some time.”
A few days later an old neighbour of Albert Thomas visited, she stayed for tea, Albert Thomas liked Mrs Stanley she had been a good friend to him, he was saddened that she had to move away.
Albert told her about the cat. He told her about not being able to get close and about the food and the milk.
Mrs Stanley listened and finally said, “You do know that cats are no strangers to this house”
She began to explain that before he had moved into the house an old lady lived here who had a cat “ now what was his name” she said screwing her eyes up trying to remember “ Ah yes” she finally said “ Arthur”
“What happened to Arthur?” asked Albert Thomas
“Oh its really sad” she explained that the old lady died in this very house and was not discovered for 12 days, when the police finally broke into the house. They found two things one was the old lady sadly passed away and the other was her beloved Arthur, it seamed he had stayed with Her by her side until he had died of starvation.
“Oh my” said Albert Thomas that is very sad. What day did she die?”
“ Remember it very well,” said Mrs Stanley it was on my Anniversary, we were on holiday my husband and I or we might have been able to find her sooner as we often popped in for a cup of tea at least twice a week. Anyway my anniversary was 10 days ago”
“Oh that’s a coincidence as it was 10 days ago that my cat appeared”
“Yes that is a coincidence,” replied Mrs Stanley.
The chatted for the next few hours till finally Mrs Stanley had to leave to catch the bus home again.
After she had gone Albert Thomas sat and thought about the cat.
Albert Thomas fell asleep.
When he awoke there was the cat looking at him, again looking better than ever.
“Arthur” Albert Thomas directed the name at the cat, the Cats ears both shot forward and a small meow left its mouth
“ You are Arthur but you can’t be you died 10 years ago after being found 12 days after your owner died.”
“Oh my” said Albert Thomas “you are leaving tomorrow this is the 11th day since you have been coming here, tomorrow will be the twelfth that will be the day you will be back to full health, so that will be the day that you leave me, where will you go, will you go to Mrs Stanley again. I hope so.”
Albert Thomas cried himself to sleep that night he’d even thought of not putting out any food or milk in the vain hope that that would prevent Arthur from leaving him. But he knew he could not do that, he had to do what was right for Arthur.
The next day he put down the final two saucers of food and milk. Arthur strode into the kitchen like he owned the place and began to eat the food and to drink the milk, when he had finished he looked up at Albert Thomas and meowed the loudest meow that he had ever heard from a cat. Arthur ran from the kitchen, Albert called after him “ please don’t go just a few hours more please” Albert Thomas walked in to the front room and sat in his most comfortable chair by the window and cried.
Then he heard it, it was a cat purring, there was Arthur looking up at him. He jumped on to Albert Thomas’ knee curled up and began to purr again. Albert Thomas stroked the Arthur. The Joy he felt at that moment was a feeling that he would remember till the end of his life. Albert felt his eyes drooping he knew that he could not stay awake any longer, “ bye old friend" he said "bye, look after your self” then he fell asleep. When he awoke Arthur was gone. Albert was not to sad for he had known that Arthur was going but he would miss him and he would always, always remember him.


Let me know what you think


Inspiration  by Tim Young

Inventions they say
are part perspiration
part inspiration
coupled with the expectation,
hope,
for the finished article.
The creativity
of the human mind
sometimes bares fruit
and a simple idea works
the inventer rewarded
with financial reward.
A simple idea one which
I myself
have been waiting to have
for many a year.