Nine Lives

Once when mother was in the hospital,

Sis was preparing hamburgers for supper.

Mine tasted so bad that I couldn’t eat it.

Being ungrateful and unwise, I complained.

Rightfully, she got upset with me.

 

After dinner, I took my burger

out to Roger, our cat.

When he laid his eyes on it

he let out a big meow.

But after he sniffed it,

he quickly snubbed it.

 

Naively, I ran back into the house

in an attempt to justify my position

by informing Sis that even Roger

wouldn’t eat this hamburger meat!

Instead of improving the situation,

I only made matters worse

by my immaturity and insensitivity.

 

I don’t recall Dad ever getting sick

from eating his hamburger...

Come to think of it,

I don’t remember

Dad ever eating his hamburger!?

The thought of someone

running a tube down my throat,

like someone siphoning gas out of a car,

was not a pleasant thought to me.

 

All I know was that

Dad and I came close

to joining Mother that night.

I had always heard

that you can’t poison a cat.

It was true that day, and

Roger confirmed it!

 

Was my sister trying to poison us? No.

In fact, I think the fiasco with

the tainted hamburger meat

was what propelled her to become

the outstanding cook that she is today!

 

You know what?

It is probably a good idea

to have a cat around the house

in the event that there’s ever

any questionable meat

placed on the dining table.

Cats they say have nine lives, yes?