Between the Bars

Chapter 8

"You're not doing anything to help around, Xavier." Phil was frantically yelling at him. "Are any of us? I don't remember the last time any of us had a real job. You're one to talk, Phil. You let your wife leave you just like that, and we warned you about her. Did ya listen? No, damnit!" "Shut up. Shut up. You know how I felt about that lady. I was blind to her sick acts, stop tryna make me feel like an ignorant seven year old."

   They went on a bit, but by the end they were sobbing and patting each other's backs. I was thinking 'bout telling 'em 'bout the money I found a few streets back, but I decided to save it til we really needed it. They'd probably spend it on girls an booze, so it's better kept quiet.

    "I'm hungry, give me some bread!" I tossed a few bread slices to Xavier and Whoever else wanted any. I lit a smoke and fell asleep just like that.

   I woke up a few hours later to the sound of a high pitched... high pitched somethin'. "Meeew. Meeew." I got up to follow the sound, when I realized I had burned a hole in my jeans. Shrugging, I listened for the sounds again. "Meeew." I followed it to a spilt over oil tube where I found a small gray and white kitten. I picked it up, but his.. her paws and belly were full of oil. "Hm. Let's get you cleaned up lil' girl."

  I walked to a puddle of dirty water near by, but that wasn't good enough. Using the one hundred I had found, I purchased some soap and smuggled her into the store bathroom. I was never really a cat person, but Clara was. Besides, I feel alone at the moment. Washing a kitten in the sink looks funny I determined. People were giving me weird looks as I stood there for a good fifteen minutes washing this small, fluffy, adorable animal. I wasn't sure if she was big enough to leave her mother, but she was all alone so I took my chances. I bought food and two dishes. I also bought her a bed and a small ball that jingles. I was down to $67.39. I figured she was worth it though, but the guys might ask where I got all this supplies from. I'll tell em' there was an adoption going on in town and the first ten people got supplies. "What a cutie you are, huh?" You needa name, huh? Mm.. how bout' Debbie?" I laughed to myself. "That's not really a cat name..Oh, I've got it, how about Bake?." She mewed, so that was a good enough answer for me.
Bake and me against the world.. and whoever else gets in our way.