Cadets: Short Stories

TOM'S LOG: ADVENTURES IN CATSITTING

It was one of those mornings where I didn't have to report early for duty, and sleep in without waking up realizing I'm late. However, this particular morning was different.

It was nearly quarter to seven, and I was still in bed when someone rang my doorbell. I chose to ignore it and kept on sleeping. I didn't have any morning duties to report to today. I wasn't getting out of bed.

Whoever was at my door, kept on ringing my doorbell. I still ignored it.

"I'm sleeping. Go away." I groaned trying to hide under my pillow.

However, that someone walked into my cabin and dropped a lot of heavy stuff on my lap, fully waking me up.

"Good morning, Tom." said Jennifer, who had Sparky in a carrier bag. What she dropped on my lap were all of Sparky's cat accessories. His food, toys, litter, basket, the lot. Still waking up and recovering from the pain, I asked Jennifer why she brought all her cat stuff.

Jennifer said I was going to look after Sparky today and reminded me that we discussed it yesterday. However, Jennifer was the one doing all the discussing and planning. I was in my own world at the time and just "mhm" to everything she said.

Jennifer could tell I forgot, and insisted I was not going to bail on her now. She and her brother were going down to the planet we were orbiting to attend an away mission, and she needed me to care for Sparky while she was away.

I've honestly never been a cat person. To me cats were annoying, dirty, and disgusting when they got old. I didn't see why she couldn't leave him with Ali or Stevie. They loved Sparky. Unfortunately, they were both very busy. Ali had a number of patients that needed her round the clock attention, and Stevie had a lot of reports to write and check for the captain.

Jennifer asked where she could put Sparky. I didn't care and just pointed to a random spot on the floor. Jennifer looked around my room in disgust. It was a pigsty. It was no secret that I was a slob.

Jennifer refused to put Sparky on the floor until it was spotless. So, she handed me her cat bag and started going around my room tidying things up. At the same time, she gave out a long complex list of rules and instructions that I had to follow. I just sat on my bed listening as Jennifer went over her instructions while tidying my room.

These instructions included feeding him strictly nutritious cat food with fresh water. She advised against spoiling him with tuna and cream, as he had been getting a little fat lately and was currently on a diet. She then moved onto brushing, which was required to be done three times on each body part, gently.

Jennifer's list of instructions made it sound like she was going away for a week when the away mission was only for two hours.

After she finished cleaning my room, she also finished her list of instructions with remembering to clear up Sparky's droppings soon after using the litter. He preferred a clean litter tray.

That task disgust me. There was no way I was picking up after Sparky.

With everything set, Jennifer was about to leave before remembering one more important rule; keep a watchful eye on him at all times.

I found that rule a bit of a laugh, because Sparky had a habit of sneaking off the ship. But I decided to amuse Jennifer, saying I would remember to watch him. She thanked me and before leaving in a flash, she gave Sparky a cute silly goodbye gesture as if he was a baby.

"Mommy's going to miss you, sweety." she said in a silly voice.

I was now on my own with Sparky still in his carrier bag. I looked at him and he looked at me. Then I put him on the floor and went back to bed.