The Cats of Bendy Row



At midnight, on a hot August night, I step quietly down the road to visit my grandparents house. Everything was dark. The stars glimmer overhead between the arching roofs of the houses. The street was still as still.
I stare through the shadows and see two bright little blue eyes near the ground, staring back at me with curious interest. A long dark shape follows them around the corner and onto the cobbled street of Bendy Row.  
  
MEEOOW!!
I stopped and backed up so fast I tripped and sat down hard.  
“Great heavens, stop that racket!” said a voice; and it was the sort of voice that was used to being soft and mellow, and now raised, it sounded well nigh squeaky. I peered cautiously around the corner and watched as the shadow moved along the side of a house. “You'll have the whole street awake in no time at all. What a way to begin.”
“My infinite apologies, sir.” said a voice of very silky timbre indeed, and a second cat-like shadow emerged from a corner. “I Thought that the meeting should start with a pleasant original atmosphere. Perhaps I executed the maneuver too well?”
At that moment, a third silhouette bounded into view, looking decidedly unkempt. “Hiyo, John Joint! Sorry I'm late. Couldn't find the bothersome place. If Lily here hadn't yelled—”
“Excuse me. My name is Tiger lily.” 
“Your attention please!” said the mellow voice. “Thank you for coming. Why don't we all sit down?”
From my awkward position I saw the three shapes congregate in the middle of the street in a puddle of Starlight; where I could see them much better. I saw three cats sitting down facing each other: one was a nice-looking French DuPoint, with big, mellow blue eyes and a brushed coat. The second was tiger-striped and fluffy, with a very clever face. The third, a skinny brown cat, sat slightly forward, ears pricked eagerly, grinning a slightly dazed grin.
“Let's begin—” began the DuPoint; but the striped cat had another suggestion.
“If I might impose . . .I see we haven't been properly introduced yet. Shall we start with the introductions?”
“Certainly! Muddy, this is Tiger. Tiger, this is Muddy. You both know me, of course.”
Muddy’s whiskers twitched madly. “Fine night for a meeting, isn't it?”
“Indeed, omitting the heat. Anyway, Joint, please begin. . .”
“Ah, of course. There's something we need to Discuss.” said John Joint. 
Muddy’s ears trembled slightly. “Sure thing.  I'm on it!”
Tiger licked a paw and yawned lazily. “What is it that needs discussion? Is it mice? Invaders?”
“No.” Joint sighed. “Interior complications.”
Muddy froze instantly and frowned. “Huh?”
Tiger looked suspicious. “You mean like an architectural flaw.”
Joint laughed nervously. “No, no, it's not that. Interior as in home life. Humans. You know.”
“Ah yes. Funny creatures, them.  What of it?"
"Well. . . " Joint leaned forward and lowered his voice.  I thought for sure his bright eyes flicked to me, and I leaned back quickly. I could still hear his voice. 
"There's one listening in right now." 
I swiftly decided that I had heard enough.  I scrambled upright (less gracefully than I would have hoped) and dashed off into the darkness.  My footsteps clattering against the stones was the only sound. . . But still I didn't stop running until I had reached the lantern-lit main road.
That was certainly something to tell my grandparents about.




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