I ran home from school with a bag of pies. Aunt Sarah from the cafeteria makes simply divine chicken patties, the meat is fragrant and delicious, very soft and juicy. No matter how hard I try to make something similar, even according to her recipe, I can’t. Our cooks are some kind of magicians, the whole teaching staff loves to eat in the canteen, it’s the kids who are naughty.
I was already not far from my entrance, when I heard a quiet, hoarse meowing. In general, we do not have courtyard cats, whether they are taken somewhere, or just chased, but in our area to meet a homeless animal is rare. So I passed by and could not. I began to look around, looking for the source of the crying. The dirty white kitten was stretched out on its tummy by the drainpipe, but when it realized I was coming to it, it reached up and stood up, looking at me with big blue eyes.
I was confused at first, since I didn’t have anything suitable or edible with me, but I remembered the pies. Setting my bag down on the bench, I pulled out a pastry bag, took out one of the pies, and broke it in half to get to the filling. The sweet smell of dough and the salty smell of meat beckoned. The kitty even rose on his hind legs, begging. He pounced on the boiled meat with a huge appetite, devouring it very quickly, and I kept tossing and tossing, giving him all the stuffing.
– Girl! – a noise echoed overhead.
I looked up to see a very disgruntled grandmother on one of the balconies. She was hanging laundry and must have seen me feeding a stray cat. I expected her to scold me for feeding it.
– Get him some water,” Grandma said. – Water!
– Ahh…” I was confused. – I don’t have any water.
– Then I’ll take it out now.
I cracked a second cake as Grandma brought out a bowl of water and a bowl of milk. She smiled as the cat finished the chicken and went straight for the milk.
– Where did such a handsome one come from? – she wondered as she sat down on the bench next to me.
I didn’t feel comfortable just sitting next to her, so I handed her a bag of cakes for her to eat.
– Do you have pets? – she asked, happily taking one pie.
– No. My mother forbade me since childhood, so I somehow did not dare, even though I am a grown-up, – I confessed, still looking at the kitten, which was licking.
– Do you live nearby?
– Yes, I live next door.
– Eh, I would take it with pleasure, but I have young grandchildren, my son will not tolerate animals now, – as if perfectly aware of everything, the cat rubbed first at the feet of the old woman, and then on mine. – It’s so beautiful… wouldn’t you like to take it away? He seems very affectionate.
I didn’t think much of it before she suggested it. I always feel sorry for homeless animals, but it’s silly to take everyone home.
– No, I have a rented apartment, I don’t think the landlords will allow it.
I left first, after saying goodbye to the woman. In the evening, I sat over my notebooks for a long time, and then something occurred to me, and I realized that I could actually take the cat. The owners said that people had lived with a dog before me, I just needed to make sure that the furniture would not be damaged, and it was time to take a little more responsibility and take care of someone.
Already in the darkness, I ran downstairs and started looking for the kitten. He was now sitting in a soft plaid box by the same drainpipe, and was very eager to come into my arms, and then to my house.
I was convinced that no one had seen this, since it was already evening, but the next day, on my way back after school, I was called out again by that woman. I think she was looking out for me on purpose.
– Girl! – She called out again. – Wait, wait a second!
It took about two minutes, but she came running out to me with a huge bag of food.
– Here,” she said with a smile, “I bought it with the idea that I would feed the fluffy one, but I saw you took him home. Now that he’s in good hands, I think you should give him food, too. It will be enough for the first time.
It would seem that a stranger who, like me, just felt sorry for the kitten, and did so much good.
– Thank you, – I replied. – If you want to see the cat, come and visit. I live in that entryway, dial apartment 17 on the intercom. He’s getting the hang of it now, and he’s exploring all the tops and cabinets, and he’ll probably be very happy to have visitors.
