Systems Maintenance

(last night)

Alice: Stassi, I have this really sense that tomorrow we should be prepared---remember how I overheard the conversation about the vet? I think tomorrow's the day.

Stassi: Alice, I don't think so. You are imagining things. Go to sleep!

( this morning)
Alice: So, was I REALLY imagining things? Here we are at Northgate Veternary Clinic. Are you happy now?

Stassi: All right, already! Stop crying. I know we're supposed to hate this place, but I know that Dr. Smalley saved my life more than once and they saved yours too when you had just arrived at Whisker City and were starving to death.

Alice: Will we be here long? Stassi: Not unless they operate on us! I lost 6 teeth here last summer. I think we are supposed to get shots, that's all. Alice: Then why did the keeper leave us here? Stassi: I think she had errands. She'll be right back.

( 9 hours later)

Stassi: We are home now. Yes, we had our shots, and of couse, because I am old there were all kinds of rude tests. And, I heard the word DENTISTRY again. We got home and it smelled different. Alice did not feel very good and when the keeper picked her up she started growling and limping. The keeper thought it was a bee sting, but she checked the vet book and realized she had gotten a shot in each leg, and ws having a reaction. I have never seen Alice like this. It is scary.

But the keeper showed us photos of what happened today. The airduct man named Keith came from Howie's Power-Vac and cleaned out all the airducts and the furnace so we can all breathe better. He was very concerned about his cat who had been mauled or beaten in the face and almost died and was recovering at the vet in Kingston. Howies' Power-Vac is a very fine business, she said. And we will pray for the poor kitty.

Then, Tim from American Meter delivered the new washer and dryer. He has cats too. At first we thought that the dryer wouldn't fit, but he made it fit into the tight space. She showed us the new dryer, but Alice wasn't up to exploring it, so I feigned indifference.