“Half memoir, half travel, A Yank Back to England...is an absolutely wonderful book, not only about going home again but also about love and family and tradition and the passage of the years.”
—Michael Dirda, Pulitzer Prize-winning literary critic (Washington
Post)
To see the entire quote, click here.

Monday, January 4, 2010

A bedtime story

Hello, my name is Riley, the handsome red tabby. Little Daggers is my protege--I met him through my mum, Agnes, who met the young master (a.k.a. the Prodigal Tourist) in that electronic book club, Shelfari. Anyway, me mum has temporarily put aside her Kindle to read a bedtime story to me and my feline companion, Precious.
Agnes and the Cats in the Evening
Cast

A Agnes, the Mama Cat

P Precious, the Siamese tabby

R Riley, the famous red tabby



P: Mama, Mama, I sink its bedtime.

A: Okay, let's read a little first. (Fluffs pillows and lies against them. Reaches for A Yank Back to England.)

P: Goody, goody! A real book. I love how they smell. (Rubs face across the pages, then lies down sweetly at A's side.)

R: Hey! That's my place! (Considers the situation; then sits on A's chest, purring deeply.)

A: Riley, sweetheart, I can't see the book. (Holds tome up above R and proceeds to read. After first paragraph gets up, trots into library, and returns with DK Great Britain.) To self: Oomph, this is even heavier.

P: I can't hear it.

A: No, dear, this is a real book. We're being old-fashioned tonight.

P: Oh goody! Costumes and horses!

R: Purrrrrrrr!

A: Riley, honey, don't sit on the book. Now, how do I get it to turn the page? Where's the button? Oh, right.

R: Purrrrrrrr!

A: LOL.

P: What, Mama?

A: LOL. These blokes are really funny! Especially the younger male.

R: Scritch, scritch, scritch.

A: LOL. I feel as if I'm really there. (Gets up and heads for bathroom.)

P: Mum! Mum! Come back!

A: Okay, where was I?

R: Purrrrrrr!

A: Oh, right.

P: I want my tea, right now!

A: Lie down, sweetie. Let me read to you for a while.

R: Purrrrrrr!

A: The heater for the bath water! This reminds me of Enchanted April. Only the bath part, though. Close your eyes, Precious!

R: Can we have some of that gravy on our Fancy Feast tomorrow?

A: No, dear. Only in England.

P: I wants milk in my tea.

A: Tomorrow.

R: And can we do this again tomorrow?

A: Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow. Now get down into the knee basket and let's all sleep. We're going touring tomorrow.

R and P: Purrrrrrrrr!

Thanks Agnes, for sending this to us--we loved it!

3 comments:

Tudor Daughter said...

Riley you are one handsome boy!!!

The Prodigal Tourist said...

Oh, yes, I most certainly am! Thank you for noticing.

Jean at The Delightful Repast said...

Riley is soooo handsome. Red tabbies are my favorite, though I usually call them Orange Stripey Cats.