Рейчел Уэллс - A Cat Called Alfie

I had developed a compulsive need to meet this cat called Dustbin, due to the fact that he was obviously part of my Polish family’s life. I was let out into the back yard after breakfast but there was no sign of him, just a few dirty mice scratching around. They looked startled to see me but I wasn’t interested in them, having enjoyed a hearty breakfast. I could see a way out of the yard, which seemed to lead to an alleyway but I was reluctant to explore the unknown territory. I returned with my curiosity far from sated as we spent the morning at home in the flat. Big Tomasz had the morning off, and while Franceska went to the shops, us boys played video games. I tried to join in, watching a bird flying around on screen which I tried to follow with my paw, but I lost my normally incredible balance and fell off the TV stand. The boys shrieked with laughter. Slightly humiliated I then tried to see if I could use the controllers they were holding onto but they kept swerving them out of my grasp. In the end I gave up and became a spectator.

‘Alfie, we are going to take Aleksy to football this afternoon,’ big Tomasz said, as Franceska returned and called the boys in for lunch. I joined them, although I wasn’t expecting any food, I liked being around the action.

‘Can Alfie come?’ Aleksy asked, excitedly, and I purred and jumped into Tomasz’s arms. I had no real idea what they meant but I wanted to go to wherever it was.

I cried to be let out again, as the family sat down for lunch and as I stepped out the door I immediately struck gold as I met the cat that could only be Dustbin. He was a little fragrant, I have to admit (and not in a good way), and his fur stuck up in all directions; he was also huge, almost as big as a dog. As I stood stock still, unsure of the reception I could expect, he turned to me.

‘Hello, who are you?’ he asked, not unkindly.

‘I’m Alfie. I’m staying upstairs for a few days.’

‘Ah, with big Tomasz. I’m Dustbin. Not my real name. Not sure what my real name is to be honest. I was given this name by the family upstairs and well, it’s as good as any.’ Although he was clearly feral, he was very polite.

‘I’m not trying to encroach on your territory,’ I said quickly. He waved a paw at me.

‘Hadn’t crossed my mind and anyway I’m happy to share.’ He smiled, and I saw his teeth were pretty sharp, I was thankful that he wasn’t angry with me. Or inclined to eat me.

‘I live where they used to live, and my other family are away. Nice to meet you.’

‘Nice to meet you too, Alfie. I guess you get a bit pampered?’

‘I do,’ I admitted. ‘I was homeless, a street cat for a while though, and I have to say I don’t know how you do it. I like hot fires, warm laps, and food served to me in bowls.’ I smiled and Dustbin laughed.

‘Well it takes all sorts. I mean your life sounds pretty nice, but not for me. I like the freedom, and I have food on tap here. As long as I keep the mice and rat population down, I get fed pretty well from the restaurant too.’

‘But the cold?’

‘You get used to it. There is plenty of shelter here and I like being my own man.’

‘Don’t you get lonely?’ I asked.

‘I have friends, well, sort of. There are a group of us round here, all outdoor cats, so it’s not so bad.’ He chuckled. I couldn’t contemplate having his life, but it made me feel a bit of a pampered cat.

‘Alfie,’ I heard Franceska call from upstairs, before I could pursue the conversation further.

‘I’d better go, but I’ll be back later. It’d be nice to see you again.’

‘Sure, you too. See you later.’

As I ran back upstairs I thought what a nice cat Dustbin was. A little bit wild but really very friendly. As he said, it took all sorts. Life would be pretty boring if we were all the same. That applied to humans and cats alike.

Big Tomasz carried me to football. They were worried about losing me he said, so he tucked me neatly under his arm and we walked past the school and towards a big field. Aleksy was wearing baggy shorts and a shirt with a number on the back, and he was bouncing with excitement.

‘Don’t use all your energy before you get on the field,’ his dad said. Franceska laughed as she held onto little Tomasz’s hand. I was almost as excited as Aleksy, although I had no idea what to expect.

When we reached the field, there were lots of children and adults already there, standing around. A man blew a whistle and all the children rushed onto the pitch.

‘Good luck, Aleksy,’ my family shouted. He turned back, smiled and waved.

Tomasz kept hold of me which I was grateful for because there were lots of people and it was also quite cold. I snuggled into Tomasz’s jacket as the match began. I knew all about football from watching it with Jonathan and Matt, but I had never seen it played live. And I had never seen children play before. Which quickly turned out to be a good thing.

When they started playing, it was a little bit of a mess. No one seemed to know which way to run, and although the adults were cheering and shouting, there was no clear sense to what everyone was doing. The ball flew past me as a child fell over trying to kick it. Franceska and Tomasz laughed and little Tomasz clapped his hands. Other people were shouting, and I noticed that some weren’t finding it funny, but these kids were certainly energetic even if none of them were any good at actually playing football. A whistle blew and Aleksy ran over to us with most of his team.

‘Aleksy,’ Tomasz admonished. ‘You are supposed to talk to your coach not come over to us.’

‘But, Pappa, I wanted to show Alfie to the team.’ The children, who were wearing the same shirts as Aleksy, all crowded around me and some reached to stroke me. I noticed there was boys and girls in the team, and some I recognized from my visit to the school. They seemed almost as enthusiastic about seeing me as they were about the game. As the children cooed over me, a tubby man came over to us.

‘Hello, Mr Armstrong,’ Franceska said.

‘Hi.’ He looked a bit sheepish as he interrupted the goings on, and I guessed he was in charge. ‘Come on, you lot, it’s nearly time for the second half.’ He nodded seriously at Tomasz and Franceska. ‘What are you all doing anyway?’

‘It’s Alfie, our cat,’ Aleksy explained. ‘He has come to see us play and is our lucky mascot.’ Aleksy puffed out his chest proudly, and I did the same. Although I didn’t seem to have proved lucky so far as no one had scored any goals.

‘OK, well, Alfie, perhaps you can bring us some goals in the second half,’ Mr Armstrong jested. I miaowed in response; I didn’t know how, after all it didn’t seem they were going to let me play.

Somehow I became a hero with Aleksy’s friends yet again. I even noticed that the bully was playing and although he hung back from me, Aleksy and he seemed to be friendly as they stood side by side on the football pitch. So when Aleksy scored a goal, the crowd cheered loudly; big Tomasz jumped up with me almost flying out of his arms; Franceska squealed; little Tomasz cheered and clapped his hands; and I grinned my biggest grin. When a little girl on Aleksy’s team scored a second goal just before the final whistle went, they all ran over to me and gave me credit for the win.

I loved being a cat sometimes; I didn’t have to do anything and yet I was always getting praised.

On Sunday the restaurant was closed, so Tomasz took us all down there.

‘Alfie hasn’t seen it yet and although I know no animals are allowed, no one will know.’ He winked at Franceska.

‘He can go and play in the yard with Dustbin,’ she said. As they started doing stuff in the restaurant the boys came outside with me where they greeted Dustbin like an old friend, as did I. Obviously I couldn’t speak to him properly with the boys there but when they were called in to do their homework, we got to hang out.