It's like this, cat

w a dog can be very educational for

up for not being a big hairy tough guy. Mom is thin and quiet, and when anything upsets her, she gets asthma. In the apartment-we live right in the middle of New York City-we don

boy around the corner on Gramercy Park. I spent the money on a Belafonte record. This record has one pie

yway? Baby-sitting! Baby-talk records! When I was your age, I made money on a newspaper-del

e are no rabbits out on Third

needle skips, which probably wrecks my record. So I get mad and start yel

ee-you've gone and

a stick and ball, and run down the t

ere call her Crazy Kate the Cat Woman because she walks along the street in funny old clothes and sneakers talking to herself, and she sometimes has half a dozen or more stray cats living with her. I gues

ht with Pop, that I first met Kate. I plunged out of our door and into the street without looking. At the same moment

r umbrella at the driver and shouting: "Listen, Dr. Big Shot, whose life are you

topped to watch and snicker at us. Our janitor Butch was there, shaking his fin

ch. He says "Yas'

nything when we got there, just dumped me in a chair with a couple o

g to ask, "What do I put

Here, have an orange, too. But no cookies or candy, none of that s

don't argue with Kate. I ate the cottage cheese-it doesn't really have any

tray cat hiding under a car, and he'd always come out to be stroked. Sometimes there'd be a bunch of little kid

lks to herself all the time in the store, and if she thinks the peaches or melons don't look good that day, she shou

and worrying about keeping me and Pop calmed down, she doesn't go out much or make dates with people. She and Kate would chat together in the stores or sitting on the stoop on a sunny day. K

are no kids in sight. I slam my ball back and forth against the wall where it says "No Ba

r cat there before. Today Susan and her kittens are under the stove, and Susan keeps hissing at a big tiger-striped tomcat crouching under the sofa. He turns his head away from her and looks like he nev

ome tea and ask

of hot air, as

ate says, catching me off

around the house? I never saw

knew him or ever wants to. I'll give him another feed and send him on his way, I guess. He's a h

feel the muscles in his body tense up as he gets ready to spring out of my lap. Then he changes his mind and decides to take advantage of the lap. He na

im, "how about co

will throw him out faster than

g thought, but right now I decide I'll really go to the mat with Pop about this. He ca

r, so Cat can stay in my room, because I remember Mom p

down in my room, and I try not to argue with him, so I won't lose my temper. I

ll get your exercise mouse hunting now. Wh

his name is Cat. And even if you call him Honorable John Fitzgerald K

hand that's going to get licked ar

ght, al

long it'd be a relief if he did hau

aw for that day