I Really Wanted a Kitty Cat

I Really Wanted a Kitty Cat
a short story by Diana Weeks

I really wanted a kitty cat, but Mike said “Oh no…mmmmm you’re my kitten” and hugged me around the waist… and lightly bit my ear lobe… right there in the middle of the shopping mall. I love public displays of affection. My first husband would never do it. Mike would stop people on the walkway to point at me and say “I love her”. That’s why I moved in with him, even though… he never wanted to get married again

A fluffy puppy was yelping and pawing the window at the pet store. Mike laughed, a deep earthy sound, as I tapped the puppy’s nose through the glass pane. “Let’s don’t go nuts… there’s a 200 dollar pet deposit” he whispers taking my hand to lead me to the back to see the fish….colorful exotic fish.

I had no idea how expensive tiny fish could be. We split all household costs down the middle… including the lighted Aquarium. It was so expensive we bought the last seven plain gold fish.

We named them after Snow Whites’ seven dawarfs. “See you’ll have company when I have to work out of town”, Mike told me giving me a full body hug with his hands pulling my hips closer, closer. A passing sales clerk mutters… “Find a motel”.

We were so happy on Sundays. We didn’t ever go to church. He paid our bills while I read the Chronicle. We grocery shopped and did chores together since we both worked. He’s a salesman, I’m a secretary. Mike would wash his car while I fixed supper.

Mike became so fond of the gold fish he talked to them, and read books to learn more…He went around singing “Off to work we go”. I nick named his tally whacker “Moby Dick”. Mike began to fear I might accidently over feed them. So he took over all care of the fish except cleaning the fancy aquarium …to me it was a big boxy fish bowl.

But Mike let me select the ceramic fish castle and silk sea weed for the bottom and the bubble sound did comfort me when I felt lonely. When Mike did have to travel, he left written “instructions for fish care”. He fed them at certain times.

I thought we had a very romantic relationship until I noticed his credit card bill between books on our book shelves. There was a purchase I knew nothing about…it was for a diamond tennis bracelet… for me? My birthday was three months ago. I got a box of candy. Christmas was three months away and we had decided to cut back from last years three hundred dollar Christmas budget.

On my lunch hour I called to question him…Long pause.. “Well, I hope you’re happy,” he snapped, “You’ve ruined your surprise.” Wow!
I hopped up and down…I never thought I’d get to wear diamonds. “Since I know, give it to me now…don’t make me wait for Santa Clause” I begged. “And bring Mr. Moby home quick…so I can thank him “

Mike did come home early and Moby Dick got to dive deep. He put the bracelet on my wrist. Mike was in the shower when I noticed the gift box thrown aside when he opened the door and saw me completely naked.

Inside was a forgotten card “To Cindy…my little kitten…happy 22 birthday”. Cindy works at the cleaners where we take our clothes every Sunday. He had given her my “nick name”.

I see red…angry red… dark as blood and pick up his new blackberry to verify his betrayal …and the first number in it is labeled “Cindy.”

I’m feeling so hurt I want to kill him…but that wouldn’t hurt him enough.

I punched the text buttons saying “Cindy…my girl friend left me…we can get married!”
Let him get out of that. I hit send… and turn off his blackberry…and slip it under the mattress. Then I barricade the bathroom door with his chest of drawers…and quickly dump my drawers in a large box and throw my things in the closet on top. Mike is singing in the shower…”and they swam and swam all over the damn”…stalling to give me time to fix supper. “Gone fishing…” he sings on…liking to hear his voice bounce off the tile.

I’m suddenly hungry for fresh fish. I put my things in my car. I find the small wired white catch net and turn the stove burner on and throw butter in the skillet and slice a large yellow lemon and dump all seven little fishes in the bubbling butter and brown them on each side, and put them on the plate sprinkling on tangy lemon drops.

I ate the tiny fillet from each side of all but one…I wrote my farewell note…and left it by the plate of small golden bug eyed heads and tensy bones. “I’m gone you double crosser... I had fish for supper… but I saved Dopey for you”.

THE END

"I Really Wanted a Kitty Cat" (c) 2009, Diana Weeks, All Rights Reserved
Special thanks to Linda Douglass for inspiring this story.