Alfie In The Snow

‘These guys really earned their pilchards today,’ Jonathan said, jubilantly, as my families all sat round the dinner table. Although we’d had little to celebrate lately, I was slightly buoyed by the fact that today had turned out so well, as was George.

‘Tell us exactly what happened,’ Franceska pushed. I licked my lips. So, yes I had been off my food since losing Tiger, but the fresh, plump pilchards were mouthwatering, particularly after the busy day we’d had. I’m only a cat, after all.

‘So, we were on our way back from watching football …’ As Jonathan launched into the story, George and I launched into our dinner. George was happier now that Harold was safely in hospital, and was going to be alright. Jonathan and Matt had gone to see him, taking him his things, and had found he was stable. He had something called a blood sugar problem which caused him to faint, but I didn’t understand much about that, not being a doctor. The point was that it wasn’t serious. But what was serious was the fact he wasn’t taking care of himself, or according to the hospital, not capable of taking care of himself.

It turned out that Harold had a virus and had been struggling to go out. So although he’d had some food delivered, he hadn’t seen anyone, not even a doctor, because he ‘didn’t believe in them’. Which was a bit rich when he ended up in hospital surrounded by them. He hadn’t been able to pay for his heating, because for that he needed to go to the post office, so that was why the house was cold. He was too proud to ask anyone for help, so he’d been suffering alone and it could have ended very badly for him.

‘But surely he has family?’ Claire asked.

‘Thankfully, he has a son, Marcus, who he’d fallen out with. Not sure exactly what happened but something to do with him getting divorced – Marcus not Harold – and Harold doesn’t believe in divorce,’ Matt explained.

I wondered what Harold did believe in – not doctors, not divorce, nor cats, it seemed.

Matt continued. ‘He lost his wife, Marcus’ mum, to cancer a few years ago, and he’s a proud and stubborn man. So Marcus and he haven’t spoken for over a year. We persuaded him to give us his number though,’ he said. ‘I said if the hospital didn’t think he had anyone to help him they’d never let him out. That did the trick.’

Jonathan smiled. ‘Yeah, and I called Marcus and he seemed pretty nice. He was upset that he had let things go this far with his dad though, and he rushed to the hospital. I gave him our number because he said he was going to sort the house out, and so I said we’d help. I mean, the state of the place.’

‘Where’s the son from then?’ Tomasz asked.

‘He lives nearby, which is the worst thing, about ten minutes away from here, but he has been through a divorce and various job issues, so he’s been a bit preoccupied. But he seems decent,’ Matt said.

‘Yeah, it sounds as if he’s had a hard time, as well as his dad, but Harold is quite a difficult character by all accounts. So although it’s sad they fell out, it’s not irrevocable. It’s like George and Alfie brought them back together.’ Jonathan grinned. ‘With our help of course, eh Matt?’

‘I’m so proud of you, you are such a softy underneath it all,’ Claire said, giving her husband’s hair a tousle.

‘Get off,’ Jonathan said, but he was pink and smiling, under his not-so-tough exterior.

‘The thing is that Harold told us that George had been visiting him for a while and he kept telling him to get lost but he wouldn’t, which of course sounds just like both our cats,’ Matt explained.

‘And now, because George and Alfie saved him, he said he would welcome him anytime. Poor old chap, miserable because he can’t cope with not coping, if you know what I mean,’ Jonathan added.

‘Pol, I said you’d help Marcus get the house sorted, if you don’t mind? It’s just a dump at the moment, dirty, threadbare carpet, furniture falling apart, and Marcus said he would pay for anything, he feels so guilty. And I also said we’d help do the garden,’ Matt explained.

‘Which is so annoying because it’s December and freezing,’ Jonathan pointed out. Not to mention that he didn’t even do any work in his own garden. Claire normally did it.

‘We’ll all rally, that’s what this community is all about,’ Claire said. ‘I can give his son the number of a cleaner, so the house can be spotless, and we have some old furniture you might be able to use, Polly.’

‘When he comes home from hospital we should throw him a welcome-home dinner,’ Franceska suggested. ‘I will bring food from the restaurant and then he knows he has friends around here.’

‘That is such a lovely idea,’ Polly said. ‘And of course I’ll get the house sorted. God, getting old isn’t much fun, is it?’

‘Polly, we’re no way near there yet,’ Tomasz pointed out, and they all laughed.

As I licked my lips after polishing off the pilchards I smiled at my humans. I had taught them all well. And my kitten, well, I couldn’t be prouder of him either and I knew Tiger would have been too.

George and I left the adults planning how they were going to help with Harold and Marcus, and went to check on the children. It wasn’t a happy sight. Summer and Martha were both unnaturally quiet, Toby and Henry weren’t talking and Tommy and Aleksy were trying to bring about some kind of truce. In my experience, once one thing got sorted, another problem reared its ugly head. And suddenly there was no shortage of them round here.

‘Right, so have I got this straight?’ Aleksy asked. ‘Toby is not talking to Henry because Henry is a donkey and Toby is Joseph?’

Both boys nodded and Tommy and Aleksy exchanged a smile. I couldn’t believe the change in Aleksy since the last time I saw him. He was happier, he was engaging with the younger children and the adults, and more importantly with me. He was like a different person and I hoped that it was because things with Connie were settling down, or he was being grown-up about it. Whichever, it was great, and one less thing for me to worry about.

‘Toby, Joseph is the main part. I was Joseph once and I loved it,’ Aleksy said. Toby glared at him, suspiciously.

‘But you did drop the baby Jesus,’ Tommy pointed out.

‘Yes, but I picked him up quickly,’ Aleksy replied. Both boys laughed.

‘Hey, I’ve got an idea,’ Tommy said suddenly. ‘I will make sure that you are remembered for being Joseph and you, Henry, as the donkey, will be able to help too. But before I share this idea, you two have to be friends again.’

Henry and Toby glanced at each other uncertainly.

‘What’s the plan?’ Henry asked.

‘No, no friendship, then no plan.’ Tommy whispered into Aleksy’s ear, and he laughed.

‘We will get into so much trouble, but what a brilliant idea,’ Aleksy said.

‘OK, let’s be friends again,’ Toby said, unable to resist, and he and Henry shook hands. Tommy gathered us all close in and he whispered the plan. He even let Summer and Martha in on it, but everyone, including me and George, were sworn to secrecy. I didn’t know what to think, as I listened. The kids thought it was great, I wasn’t so sure. I knew some of my plans were a bit crazy, but this really took the biscuit. Or the baby Jesus. Aleksy was right, we would get into trouble. Big trouble.

‘Are you sure?’ Toby asked. He wasn’t very good at not doing what he was told, he was such a good boy.

‘I am, I think it’s brilliant,’ Tommy said, immodestly.

‘I think it’s amazing too,’ Martha said.

‘Meow,’ George agreed. Well, he would.

‘And, you know, it will remind us that we’re not just friends, but family, and therefore we do it for each other,’ Aleksy said, which made me want to weep. OK, that did it, so I was in too.

‘Meow,’ I agreed.

As they discussed the finer details, I hoped that it wouldn’t go wrong as many of my plans had in the past, but then I decided that we all needed cheering up and this might just do it. It might do the opposite, but I wasn’t going to think about that. It had reunited and bonded all the children. George was hopping with excitement and I knew this would take his mind off Tiger a bit, which could only be a good thing. So, I high-fived Tommy with my paw, to reiterate that I was all in.

‘You did such a great job today,’ I said to George as we took our last bit of air in the garden before bed. We were both exhausted, it had been such a long day.

‘I didn’t know he was that bad, but I’m glad I could help him,’ George said. ‘And doubly glad he might call me George now instead of “Get Lost”.’ There was no convincing George that the man didn’t like him.

‘Well, I am incredibly proud of you,’ I said. I thought that if I reminded George every day how great he was, it might make things a bit easier for him, navigating his grief.

‘Thanks Dad. I’m just happy he has his son now, and it made me realise how bad it was when I tried to pull away from you. I’m sorry.’

I was so choked up. ‘Don’t be sorry, but let’s not do that again, I missed you, I missed our relationship, doing things together. How’s Hana, have you seen her?’

‘Not much, but it’s funny, she said that her owner, Sylvie, is still upset about the mouse and the bird. Apparently she keeps going on about it.’

‘Right, we better put this right – I mean, I better put this right. I know, women like getting flowers.’ I had tried to woo Snowball with flowers once. It hadn’t gone to plan but she had appreciated the gesture.

‘They do. Claire loves it when Jonathan gives her flowers.’

‘So, let’s go and get some flowers and leave them on her doorstep. Then she will know that they’re gifts and nothing bad.’

‘Great idea, Dad, I’ll help you dig some up. Polly’s are nicest. But, there is something I’d like you to do.’

‘What’s that, son?’

‘Figure out a way for me to get to see Hana, properly, I mean. I’ve been wrapped up in my sad feelings but she is sad too. She loved being an indoor cat in Japan, she had lots of people around her, but now she’s alone a lot and her house is very unhappy, so she needs a friend like me.’

‘I’ll do whatever I can,’ I said, meaning it. ‘Everyone needs a friend like you, George.’