The Second Ardath Mayhar by Ardath Mayhar

Author:Ardath Mayhar
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: fantasy, science fiction, short stories, sf, cats
Publisher: Wildside Press LLC
Published: 2017-04-18T04:00:00+00:00

MY FRIEND EDDY

Cat stories delight me, for I find cats to be almost as independent-minded as I am.

I have to admit it—I worry about Eddy. Not that I’m responsible for him, of course. We’re not that kind of friends, both of us being totally independent. He ignores me, and while I pay pretty close attention to him, I try never to let that show. The bozo may be a drunk and a drifter, but he has his pride, just like me.

We both get into fights from time to time too. We have the scars to show for it, and I’m pretty proud of my chewed-off ears and crooked tail, which has been broken more times than I can count. Whenever Eddy truly notices me, which isn’t often, he grins. We’re pretty much of a match, the two of us, though he lost his right eye and wears a patch over it, while mine is a mess of scar tissue.

Sometimes when he staggers down the street, humming gently between hiccups, I trail along behind him, my tail as straight up as it will go. People stop and stare as if we were some kind of parade, though Eddy often seems not to notice. Even other bums give us little salutes, and poor old Ed thinks they’re for him. I know they’re for the combination of ragged Eddy, staggering all over the place, and me, marching straight as a string behind him. We have a style of our own.

By now you probably guess that Eddy is a few pickles shy of a pint. He can wander into the craziest situations, and I don’t seem to be able to keep from pulling him out of them, sometimes literally. A big tough tomcat can make himself felt, believe me.

We had gotten along so well for a couple of months that I suppose I got a bit slack. When Eddy unexpectedly hopped a slow freight that night I gave a growl, for I hate having to leap aboard those things. Just one second off in my timing, and I’d be ground to hamburger beneath the wheels.

I made it, of course, and found myself in an empty boxcar with only Eddy for company, and this was one of the nights he was thinking I was some kind of delusion. He tucked himself into a corner and covered himself up with the old Army overcoat he’d bought for a buck at Goodwill a couple of winters ago. I went over and nosed him, just to make sure he was all right. Then I curled up with my tail warming my nose and dozed off. The train picked up speed and clacked along for hours before it slowed again in a big rail yard. I yawned and moved to the doorway to look out. It was pitch dark, still.

A heavy boot almost squashed me as someone jumped aboard. Behind him came another big fellow, swearing almost as well as I do. I slid aside silently, baring my fangs at the smell of that boot.

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