Alfie The Doorstep Cat

Chapter Twenty-One

I was asleep at Claire’s, on her sofa in the living room. I wasn’t necessarily banned from sleeping on the sofa, but Claire did try, nicely, to encourage me to use my cat bed. However, the evening sun had been streaming through the window, making the spot I settled on deliciously warm and pretty irresistible – just what I needed after a difficult afternoon. I’d come home from Franceska’s house feeling hungry. I’d played with Aleksy for hours but there had been no sardines, no drink, nothing. Franceska hadn’t been as cheerful as normal; she seemed distracted, and although I tried to spend a bit of time with her on her own, she didn’t seem to notice me. I felt a little bit upset at being ignored. I knew that humans had problems, but that shouldn’t be an excuse for ignoring me – after all, I was there to help her when things were difficult! And there was no sign or sound of Polly and Henry. They returned home just as I was leaving, along with Matt. He was pushing the pram and she seemed a little bit more relaxed for once, but they were deep in conversation and they didn’t seem to notice me. It seemed I had become invisible to the adults of the number 22 flats.

And that was just the start of it. As afternoon turned into evening, things got worse.

Claire had been at home getting ready to go out, so although she had put some cat food and milk out for me, she didn’t have time for a chat, or any affection at all. She seemed very happy, and preoccupied with getting dressed up. She was wearing a very nice black dress and she put some high-heeled shoes by the front door. I’d never seen her wear heels that high, not even for work. She also spent ages on her hair, and putting lots of stuff on her face.

When she had finished, I didn’t think she looked like my Claire any more.

‘Alfie, don’t wait up, I’m going out with the girls,’ she said, smiling, but she didn’t pick me up or stroke me; she probably thought I would mess up her dress with my cat hair. As if I would! I felt a little hurt again, although I knew it was selfish as I wanted her to be happy, so I tried to be glad for her. But I didn’t purr or even raise my whiskers for her when she left; I really did feel very down in the mouth.

Bored and a bit lonely, I went to Jonathan’s but there was no sign of him. He hadn’t come back from work it seemed, and he hadn’t left me any food either. My empty breakfast dishes were still on the floor, just as I’d left them. Although I had still had enough to eat, I felt a bit disappointed, not just in the lack of food, but also the lack of attention.

It made me realise that cats always need to have their wits about them. Just because I was no longer a homeless cat didn’t mean that I could take anything for granted. People were far from stable and reliable. Of course I wasn’t trying to exaggerate, I knew they were still there to take care of me, but I also needed to be more self-reliant and also perhaps a little less sensitive. After all, I’d been a street cat for a while, so there was no reason for me to have reverted to being quite so soft.

But I still was. And I felt a little bit lost. I went for a walk, but I didn’t feel like making small talk with the other cats, not even Tiger. I was feeling sorry for myself. I wandered around Jonathan’s house, including the rooms that he never used, but that wasn’t much fun. I thought about hunting for a gift for him but I couldn’t be bothered; why reward him for his neglect? I felt a little bit sad as I decided to go back to Claire’s, and that’s when I fell asleep on the warm spot on the sofa.

I was woken up by the sound of a key turning in the front door and giggling. I looked outside, where it was pitch black. Claire came into the living room, being held up by a man I’d never seen. I immediately stood up and raised my tail in suspicion, ready to rescue her, as a light flicked on.

‘Oh Alfie’s here, Alfie my lovely,’ Claire’s words sounded funny and slurry as I darted out of her way. I knew she was drunk. She wasn’t quite as bad, or mean, as the drunk people I had met on the street but she definitely shared common traits with them. If I let her pick me up, she would probably drop me, knowing my luck.

‘Right, well, Claire, you’re home safe and sound, so I better go.’ The man shuffled a bit, looking as if he wasn’t quite sure what to do.

‘Nooo Joe, stay for coffee.’ She burst out laughing, as if this was the funniest thing she had ever said. I didn’t think it was, though.

‘Thanks, but I’d better go, Claire. Honestly, you’ll thank me in the morning.’ The man looked quite nice, but he had hair the same colour as the fat ginger cat down the road.

She flung herself at him, literally, and they both fell backwards onto the sofa. I bolted swiftly, only narrowly escaping getting squashed. Claire giggled again and Joe seemed to struggle a bit to free himself from her grip.

‘Claire, you’re a bit drunk,’ he persisted; he sounded a bit exasperated. It looked like that was an understatement. ‘I really ought to go but I promise I’ll call you.’

‘Please don’t go,’ she slurred, but he got up, kissed her on her cheek and let himself out. ‘Oh God, I’m such a loser,’ Claire cried as soon as the door closed. Alarmingly, she started sobbing like the old days. Then, instead of going to bed, she just curled up on the sofa and started snoring.

Although I had seen this behaviour, I had no idea what to do, and actually there was nothing I could do but curl up next to her and snore along with her.

She woke up the next morning, still on the sofa, and she really looked a mess.

‘Oh my God,’ she said, clutching her hair. ‘What on earth did I do?’ She looked at me. ‘Oh Alfie, I’m sorry, I hope you’re OK?’ She tried to get up. ‘My head is agony.’ She fell back again. ‘Oh God, oh God,’ she repeated, clutching her head as she moaned. I started miaowing, to let her know I was hungry.

‘Oh God, Alfie, can you keep it down, you sound like a fog horn.’ I didn’t know what that was, so I continued miaowing, and I didn’t understand why she was like this. If this was the result of being drunk, then why on earth did humans do it?

Eventually she got up again and went to the kitchen. She drank a glass of water and then another one straight away. She went to the fridge and got some food out for me, which made her turn a funny colour as she put it on a plate.

‘Oh no, I think I’m going to be sick,’ she said, as soon as she’d put it down. She rushed off. As I ate my breakfast, I didn’t really know what to think. It wasn’t a work day for Claire, which was probably lucky, as she looked dreadful. She returned looking pale, although she did have the remnants of the previous night’s make-up dotted around her face. She also smelt terrible (admittedly not as bad as the street drunks), although I accept that I have a heightened sense of smell, being a cat.

‘Oh Alfie, did that guy, Joe, come back here last night?’ I miaowed, hoping she would interpret that as a yes. ‘I just can’t remember. Oh no, he must hate me. I bet he can’t stand me now, and I quite liked him. Oh God, at my age I should know better. I am so embarrassed.’ I yelped really loudly. The last thing I ever wanted was to lose her now.

‘Not literally,’ she said, as if she understood me. ‘Sorry Alfie, but I’m going to bed and I think I’m going to stay there for the rest of the day.’ She left the room. I looked after her wistfully. My humans were complicated, that was for sure. I was beginning to feel as if I would never fully get to understand any of them.

I went to Jonathan’s, as Claire was clearly not going to be any fun at all today, but he still wasn’t home. I wondered if he’d come home and then gone out early but my breakfast dishes were still on the floor; he clearly hadn’t thought about feeding me at all. I fleetingly wondered if I should worry, but then Jonathan wasn’t the sort of man you worried about. If I could take care of myself then he certainly could. But I didn’t like the fact that he hadn’t been home at all since he left for work in the morning. And I particularly didn’t like the fact that he hadn’t given me a second thought, otherwise he wouldn’t have made me miss two meals. I wondered what I could do to convey my anger to him.

I was about to give up on him and leave. Obviously I couldn’t reward his behaviour with another gift, so I thought that if I walked out on him the way he walked out on me, then maybe he would understand what it felt like. But as I was about to head out, I heard the door open and in he walked, in his work clothes, but looking quite fresh regardless. Nothing like Claire, that was for sure.

‘Alfie, sorry,’ he said, petting me and smiling at me in a way I hadn’t quite seen him do before. ‘I hope you’re not too hungry – I didn’t expect to be gone so long.’ I miaowed angrily, in a way that said he certainly wasn’t forgiven, and yes, I was expecting him to be there for me; after all, he didn’t know I had already eaten.

‘Oh, Alfie, you’re a man of the world. You know how it is when you get lucky,’ he winked. I blinked, then looked at him through narrowed eyes. I didn’t know how it was. I certainly wasn’t that sort of cat. He laughed.

‘If I didn’t know better, I’d say you disapproved.’ He laughed again. His phone beeped. He read something and smiled. I wondered if he was still drunk like Claire had been last night, because he wasn’t himself. He definitely seemed happy, but maybe a little bit crazy. ‘Sorry, of course you’re hungry. I’ll get you some food.’ He looked a bit puzzled as he picked up my empty plates and then he fetched me some prawns. They might be one of my favourite things but I wasn’t going to be won over that easily.

All the while I ate, he played with his phone. He would type something, it would beep and he’d smile and type something else. I actually found it all irritating; in my mood I would have preferred to dine in peace.

‘Alfie,’ he said finally. ‘I like the woman I went out with last night. I’ve known her for a while, although not well, but I saw her again last week. Anyway, she’s attractive, funny, smart and has a good job. I actually think I may be a bit “in like” with her.’ I refused to look at him and concentrated on my dwindling prawns.

‘Oh come on, you can’t be mad at me forever. Surely you can be happy for me?’ I felt my fur prick up as I wanted to tell him that I surely couldn’t, if it meant I was going to be forgotten about. I could really, if it meant he wasn’t sad any more, although I wasn’t ready to let him know that! ‘Look, this is why I didn’t want a cat. I’m free and easy and if I want to stay out, I should be able to. I don’t mind when you stay out all night, for God’s sake. I’m a grown up, Alfie.’ Still I didn’t turn round. ‘Oh, Alfie, just get over it. Next time I’m going out I’ll bring her back here.’ I turned around, but I didn’t give him a smile. ‘And why the hell am I apologising to a bloody cat?’ Jonathan looked bemused.

I gave him an indignant look, then I stalked out of the cat flap. But as soon as I stood outside, I realised it was raining. I hadn’t thought about the weather, being too cross to do so, but what a predicament I’d put myself in. Claire was asleep, Jonathan was in the dog house, and so I had no alternative but to get wet, which I hated, and walk down the street to the flats at number 22.

Feeling extremely disapproving of both Claire and Jonathan – Margaret had certainly never got up to such antics – I thought that perhaps it was time to step up my charm offensive with both Franceska and Polly. Maybe they would be more reliable.

As luck would have it, I struck gold. Matt, Polly’s husband, was pushing the pram into the house as I arrived, allowing me to sneak in.

‘Oh, hello Alfie,’ he said, and I felt quite chuffed, both that he spoke to me and that I was in the dry. He took his shoes off and left the pram just inside the door. I purred.

‘Shush,’ he said, quietly. ‘I’ve just got Henry off to sleep. Polly is having a much-needed lie-in. Come in and I’ll get you a towel to dry you off and give you some milk.’ I followed him into their small, but very neat, kitchen. He grabbed a tea towel and rubbed me down which was very nice, before pulling some milk out of the fridge and filling the kettle. I felt companionship developing between us as he quietly put some milk in a bowl for me, giving me a gentle pat. I lapped the milk as quietly as I could while Matt made himself a drink. He took it through to the living room and I joined him. We sat, side by side, on the sofa. He picked up a book to read and I just sat, quietly, showing him that I was able to be a good cat. I curled up, and after a while I started dozing off. I was roused a short while later by Polly appearing.

‘How long did I sleep for? Where’s Henry?’ She sounded panicked.

‘It’s fine, darling. He’s asleep in the pram and you probably got a couple of hours’ kip.’

‘But doesn’t he need feeding?’

‘He had breakfast, and it’s not lunchtime yet. Pol, he’s over six months so he can probably start having more regular feeding times.’

‘That’s what the health visitor said. And Franceska.’

‘So they’re probably right, then. Can I make you a cup of tea?’

‘Thanks, that would be lovely.’ Matt got up and Polly sat down next to me.

‘Hello, cat,’ she said stiffly. I tried to raise my eyes; she knew my name. ‘Sorry, Alfie,’ she corrected. I was sure that I was getting quite good at communicating with these humans, but then I was getting a lot of practice. She reached over and lightly touched my fur. I stayed still. Polly seemed afraid of me, but then, she seemed afraid of everything. One observation I had made was that she was definitely afraid of her baby. She seemed terrified of tiny Henry.

Matt returned with the tea and put it on the coffee table in front of her. He picked me up and sat down, putting me on his lap.

‘I hope that Henry isn’t allergic to his fur,’ Polly said.

‘Of course he isn’t. Mum had a cat and we were round there all the time.’

‘Oh yes, I’d forgotten,’ Polly replied. She looked vague. Matt’s brow creased and he didn’t look happy.

‘Polly, are you OK? I mean really? I know this move has been a huge upheaval and I didn’t realise I’d be working so much straight away, but I’m worried about you.’

‘I’m fine.’ She looked around the room with an expression on her face that seemed to say she had no idea where she was. It was still quite bare, the same as when they moved in. Apart from the sofa, chair and trunk table, the room was quite sparse. Even with the baby mat and toys on the floor it still didn’t seem like a home, nothing like next door. ‘It’s just hard and I’m tired,’ she continued. ‘I’m tired and I’m homesick and although I have Franceska now, I do feel lonely. I miss my family.’ It was the most I’d heard her say, even to Franceska.

‘I’ll do anything to help you,’ Matt said. ‘Maybe we can go home soon, would you like that? Or if you really want to, you and Henry can go and see your mum for a week. I could drive you up on Sunday and pick you up the following weekend.’ He looked a bit pleased with himself.

‘So you want to get rid of us, do you?’ Her voice was filled with panic.

‘No, I’d miss you both, of course, but I just thought you’d like to spend some time with your mum.’ Polly glared at Matt but further conversation was interrupted by Henry’s loud wails.

‘I’ll feed him.’

‘Do you want me to make up some baby rice or formula?’ Matt asked. He sounded very sad; defeated even.

‘No, my breasts are hurting. I’ll feed him.’ She disappeared and I could hear Henry’s wails all the way to the bedroom. I heard the door close and then it went quiet. Matt sighed, and looked as if he was far away. It was similar to the way that Franceska looked sometimes. He started stroking me absently, and although I knew he was thinking about other things, I enjoyed it all the same.

After a while, Polly returned with Henry. She put him down on the mat and he started grabbing at his toys.

‘We need to encourage him to start sitting up on his own,’ she said.

‘OK, well I’ll put some cushions behind him.’ Matt started arranging cushions, he looked grateful for something to do. He then propped Henry up, coaxing him to try to sit by rattling toys in front of him. Henry liked this game and started giggling. Matt laughed, and even Polly smiled. I wished they would take a photo so they could look at it and remember that they were a happy family; because for that moment they looked like one.

‘Right, Pol, shall we go and get ourselves a smaller pushchair, so we can get rid of that bloody monster truck?’ Matt suggested, after Henry had given up with the sitting game and was lying on his back again, studying his feet.

‘Yes, we can walk down to that shop Franceska and I found the other day.’ She perked up a bit.

‘Shall I take him in the sling?’ Polly nodded and they started to busy themselves getting ready.

I took this as my cue to leave. I watched them walk down the street and then I miaowed really loudly outside Franceska’s house. But there was no sign of anyone and there were no lights on in the house. It looked like they had gone out. It seemed everyone had somewhere to go but me.

So instead, I went to visit Tiger. The community I was building wasn’t just made up of my new families, it also included fellow cats. Now, at last, if ever I was in need, I had a support network to fall back on and it was growing stronger by the minute. Not that I would ever be in trouble again, but just in case …

‘So what do you want to do?’ Tiger asked.

‘Let’s go to the pond by the park and look at our reflections.’ It was one of my favourite new pastimes. Tiger and I would stand on the bank, as close to the pond as we dared go, and we would look at ourselves in the water. We looked so funny as the water distorted us; it was a very pleasant way to spend the afternoon.

We then explored the back gardens in the street, jumping fences and sheds and having a fun old time without any of the nonsense I’d been subjected to lately.

‘Oh, look at that funny small dog,’ Tiger pointed out. We hissed loudly at him, from our vantage point on a fence, and he yapped, running around in circles in his back garden. It was good, innocent fun. I enjoyed being with Tiger, she was good company today; very compliant, not too loud and generally entertaining to be with.