LIFE & THE WADHAMS

It’s Uncle Drew the vet to the rescue, taking a bored Matty off to visit the cat sanctuary…

Peaceful Saturday mornings were a thing of the past in the Wadhams/ Clark household, Pinky Clark thought ruefully as she loaded another collection of bibs, vests and Babygros into the washing machine. Even before the arrival of little Ruby – her and husband Jim’s welcome late addition to the family – Pinky had to be up with the lark, chivvying daughter Jennifer to get to her Saturday job on time, ferrying eleven-year-old Matty to his football matches, ensuring Tyson was fed, watered and walked and generally doing the hundred and one things a busy mother of four has to do.

Jim was a help of course, but there had been a rush on at the garage so he and son Alex were off and out early. Thank goodness for her mum and dad! Though she’d never burden them with too much responsibility, Pinky knew she could always call on Mike and Polly who lived in the flat upstairs to keep an eye on the baby for the odd hour while she caught up with chores – or sleep.

But today they were off on the annual church outing to the seaside – something they’d enjoyed for years. Their friend Mrs Gibson was going along for the first time.

Pinky glanced out. The glorious weather had held, thank goodness, and baby Ruby was sleeping peacefully in her pram under the window, never far from her mother’s watchful eye. Tyson lay in the pram’s shadow, worrying at a rubber toy.

The only person unaccounted for was Matthew. His football this morning had been cancelled and Pinky guessed he was in his room, playing games on his Xbox.

She was just about to call him down and out into the sunshine when he appeared, dragging his heels and looking totally down in the dumps.

“I’m bored,” he whined. “There’s nothing to do.”

Pinky ruffled his hair. “What about that new game Grandma got you for your birthday?”

“I’ve gone through all the levels, and I’m bored with it! I’m bored with all my games.” Matthew pouted, so unlike his sunny self that Pinky almost reached for the thermometer.

“Tell you what, wait until I’ve fed and changed Ruby, and we’ll go the park,” she offered. “Then you and Tyson can have a really good runaround and you’ll be too tired to be bored.”

“O-K.” Matty rolled his eyes and Pinky felt a stab of sadness. Her younger son was growing up fast – soon he’d hit the teenage years. Pinky hoped he’d be more like Alex than Jennifer. Her teenage tantrums had been a sight to behold!

Then Tyson barked, the baby woke and pandemonium ensued as Pinky’s brother Drew sauntered into the garden.

“Just come to see the little one, then

I’m off to the cat sanctuary.They’ve a few new additions I said I’d check over.”

Drew’s vet practice kept him busy, but he liked to do his bit for the community.

“Do me a favour and take this

one with you,” Pinky said, indicating Matty as she scooped up the baby and rubbed her back.

“Yeah!” Matty perked up instantly. He and Uncle Drew always had great fun together, and the cat sanctuary sounded more promising than the boring old park. “Can Tyson come?”

“No!” Drew and Pinky said in unison, and even Matty had to laugh, realising what he’d asked.

Matty had never seen so many cats in one place! All the cages were full, some with single cats, others with litters of kittens, abandoned there by careless owners who did not take responsibility for having their cat spayed.

There were toms, tabbies and tortoiseshells, white cats, black cats and ginger ones, all miaowing, mewling and occasionally hissing as they waited to be fed and watered by the lone volunteer, Annabel. She shrugged at Drew’s surprise that she was on her own.

“Carly’s at a wedding,” she said. “So I said I’d hold the fort.”

“Well, fortunately I’ve brought help.” Drew grinned. “Set young Matty here to work while I check over this litter.

“Do a good job,” he added to Matty, “and I’ll buy you a McDonald’s.” He knew animal lover Matty didn’t need the bribe but it was Saturday, the kid was bored… and he could happily scoff down a few chicken nuggets himself.

Here you are.” Matty carefully opened the last cage and set down a bowl of dried food in front of a skinny tabby with the greenest eyes of all the cats in the place. Those eyes were wary, and the cat made no move towards the bowl, as the other cats had.

“Come on, girl.” Matty scooped out some food and held it towards her. The cat backed away instantly. Matty’s eyes widened with concern.

“What’s wrong with her?” He asked Annabel, who had come up behind him.

“Poor puss.” Annabel sighed. “She was brought in a few days ago. Someone had found her cowering behind the bins at the back of the Co-op. She’s not feral so she’s either been abandoned or lost . But she’s not chipped and no one has come forward to claim her.”

As she spoke, the little cat inched forward and nosed delicately at the food in Marry’s outstretched hand.

“Well, would you look at that!” Annabel said. “That’s the closest she’s come to any of us. She must like you, Matt.”

Uncle Drew…” Matty licked the last of the ketchup from around his lips and took a large slurp of cola.

“No,” Drew said.

“You don’t know what I’m going to ask!” Matty was outraged.

“I do.” His uncle grinned. “You’re going to ask me if we can go back to the sanctuary and pop that puss in a basket and take it home with you. The answer’s no, Matty. Apart from the fact your parents have enough to do, it wouldn’t be fair on such a timid cat to bring her into a household with a dog and a baby. She needs a quiet environment.”

“What about Grandma and Grandpa?” Matty argued. “They’d like a cat. They used to have one, Grandma said.”

“Same argument. You know Tyson’s up at their flat all the time. And the baby would still be making lots of noise.”

“Stupid baby.” Matty growled. Drew just chuckled. He knew his nephew adored his baby sister, even if wild horses wouldn’t have dragged it out of him.

“Don’t worry, Matty, the sanctuary will find Puss a good home.”

“But I want to help her!”

“You were a great help today. And when you’re older, you can help out at the sanctuary every week if you like. But for now there’s not a lot you can do.”

Matty narrowed his eyes. “Yes, there is,” he said with determination.

Polly and Mike alighted slowly from Jim’s car. He’d picked them up from the bus station tired but happy after their day out. Mrs Gibson got out, too, for a quick peek at little Ruby before Jim drove her home.

“What on earth…?” Polly said. Her grandson was standing at the garden gate, an old trestle table from the garage in front of him, piled high with computer games, soft toys and old board games.

“I’m having a garage sale, Grandma,” he said proudly. “To raise money for the cat sanctuary.”

“A garage sale?”

“Apparently it’s a thing in America.” Pinky appeared at the door, Ruby in her arms. “But it’s getting late for you to be out there, Matty – come on in now.”

“So what’s the story?” Mike said as they all settled in the kitchen with a cup of tea, – even Mrs Gibson, always too mannerable to outstay her welcome but reluctant to return home to her quiet flat.

Excitedly, Matty outlined the details of his day, finishing off with a flourish of the money tin he’d been using. “I’ve made nearly thirty pounds,” he said. “And Dad says next weekend we can go to a proper car boot sale.”

“Wonderful!” Mrs Gibson clapped her hands. “You should be very proud of yourself doing this for the wee cats. You know, I used to have a little cat…”

“Did you?” Matty’s eyes narrowed as the wheels started turning. “Mrs Gibson, do you think…?”

And so Puss, re-christened Millie, found a home with a soul as gentle as she was, and Mrs Gibson no longer had to dread an empty flat. The Wadhams and Clarks had come to the rescue again!

“You’re going to ask if we can go back and pop that puss in a basket”