Rita Brown - Cat of the Century

Flo, plaid wool throw around her legs, was stretched out on Gayles sofa in the living room. Each woman would occasionally glance out the windows. Each time, they marveled at the volume of snow. They, too, were discussing Mariah.

You must have some idea? Gayle was worried.

None. Look, Gayle, I couldnt stand her. Didnt even want to be in the same room with her. If she was up to no good, she certainly wasnt going to tell me.

Apart from your college clashes, did she do something recently that offended you?

She

offends me. Her very person. Ive felt that way since I first met her. Havent you ever met someone and disliked them instantly?

Once. I avoided him.

Well, I couldnt very well avoid Mariah. I swear, she spent more time at William Woods now than when she was a student, just to torment me. God knows, she never missed a chance to drive in from Kansas City. And her being on the alumnae board means I have to deal with her a lot. Shes just so pushy. Shed searched for that word.

She is. But its in the service of the school.

Oh, bollocks. The alumnae board is a way for her to get attention. Shes raised a lot of money already. She craves attention. Always has.

I suppose she does, Gayle reluctantly agreed. It would appear that Liz Filmore suffers from attention-deficit syndrome, too. She grinned mischievously. Neither woman gets enough.

Give credit where credit is due. Flo wrinkled her nose. Mariah does raise money, and she wants attention for that. Liz wants attention for herself.

Looks like it, Gayle agreed again.

Mariah would not miss a meeting. Hell, shed go just to irritate me. Flo crossed one foot over the other. Shes done something terrible. Shes on the lam. I guarantee it.

Flo, Gayle took a deep breath, what an awful thought.

Flo thought for a moment, pulled the blanket more tightly around her. Mariah inspires awful thoughts.

Neither Flo nor Gayle knew of the twenty-five thousand dollars that had been drawn from the Kansas City account. Although it had been repaid, both women would have been outraged.

Gayle shifted on her chair. It will all come out in the wash. She paused. Certainly was a lovely dinner. Can you imagine reaching one hundred?

You know, I never thought about it. A deep sigh followed. The only way, really, would be to marry a plastic surgeon. Maybe then youd look seventy.

Maybe then your navel would be between your eyes. Gayle giggled.

The third eye of prophecy, Flo shot back, and they laughed uproariously.

A

s a precaution, four of the maintenance workers bunked up at the university. Like the alumnae, people who worked at William Woods eventually fell under its spell. Hardworking, straightforward Missouri men, not one of them could bear the thought of their kids shivering in their rooms or not being able to get hot food.

While Aunt Tally had celebrated, the four men divided up the campus, each protecting his quadrant. Every residence hall was hooked up to a series of generators, and the maintenance men showed the CA, often a graduate student, how to cut off the circuit breakers, then turn on the generator. A few of the students, not country folk, knew how to check a circuit breaker but didnt understand why they needed to cut the power when it was out. Patiently, they were informed that if the power came back on and the generator was running, theyd blow out everything.

The final carrying out of manure to the big snow-covered pile was done. The horses would be in superclean stalls in case they couldnt be thoroughly mucked out tomorrow. The students had put down extra bedding. Water usually didnt freeze inside the barns, but they knew that would happen tonight. Generators were hooked up in the barn so the pumps would still work. The frozen buckets could be dumped, then refilled with fresh water in the morning. Horses drank as much

as sixteen gallons of water on a hot day; on a cold one, they still needed a lot of water.

When Fuji Wertland knocked on the door of the alumni house, Harry and Tucker greeted him. The power had gone out an hour ago. The ladies sat around the propane heater.

Come on in. Im surprised you could get through, Harry said.

Snows supposed to end sometime tomorrow. He shrugged. Who knows? A weatherman can be wrong half the time and still keep his job. He stepped inside.

At fifty-four, Fuji kept in shape. Small of build and a quick thinker, he headed maintenance, an important position on any campus and one that faculty and students rarely considered.

We can offer you some cookies but no stove. She smiled.

Im here to hook up the generator. You know to cut the circuit breakers and

Were country people, Aunt Tally called out from the living room. We know the drill.

He nodded as he passed the living room.

All I found was the propane heater. If Id known there was a generator, I would have hooked it up, Harry said.

We keep it locked up. Things that expensive can walk. He fished his flashlight out of his jacket and opened the door to the dark basement. Let me show you where the circuit breakers are.

Found them. Harry nonetheless fell in behind Fuji, as Tucker trailed behind her.

Mrs. Murphy and Pewter stayed in the parlor.

Seen one basement, seen em all,

Pewter announced.

Down in the basement, Fuji popped open the metal cover of the box and flipped off the main breaker, which was a bright-blue longer switch at the bottom of the two rows of small black switches.

Flip it on when the power returns, he told Harry, as he walked to a closet in the back.

Harry remained near the breaker. As Fuji opened the closet with his key, she called, Need help carrying the generator?

No, thanks. Ten gallons of gas are here in two five-gallon cans. This

closet has ventilation toward the back. He shined his flashlight at the long, narrow louvers at the top of the ceiling.

He carried the generator, placed it under the circuit breakers, and hooked it up. Someone will need to get up in the middle of the night and top it off. Fuji set both cans in front of the closet but not next to the generator. At least Harry wouldnt have far to carry one.

Ill do it. Harry followed Fuji back up the stairs.

The refrigerator hummed again.

Inez, theyre playing our song, Aunt Tally quipped.

Little Mim walked into the kitchen. How about some soup? Wont take long to heat it up. She smiled at Fuji.

Although the ladies were full, they were more than happy to make something hot for Fuji.

No, thank you, maam. He walked to the front door. Theres a lot left to do. This storm is brutal.

Harry said, Thank you. Do you have a cell?

Do. Course, its not working now. No satellite TV. Well sleep in a trailer back behind the stables. Its there for times like this or for graduation, when we work around the clock. The boys and I hoped to watch some basketball. Well play cards instead. He grinned. Ill clean those dogs out.

Hey, remind me never to play cards with you. She opened the door. Thank you, Mr. Wertland.

He touched his finger to his lads cap. Harry noticed that the truck windshield was already thickly covered with snow. He couldnt have been in the house longer than fifteen minutes.

She closed the door against the frigid air.

Big Mim had turned off the propane heater. The distinct, not exactly pleasant odor of propane filled the house.

Everyone was in the kitchen, including the two cats.

The teapot whistled. Little Mim poured the hot water into a Brown Betty snug in a knitted tea cozy. Whoever outfitted the alumni house understood tea and possibly had spent time in England.