Little Honker's Patriotic Paws

“I’m Jack.  I just moved into the corner house.  I kept seeing a bunch of cats coming to this house.  I was curious.  Then I heard music coming from inside.  I like it.”

“I’m Weezie.  I’m part of the Swinging Tails band.  We practice in the basement,” she said.

Weezie kept moving toward the blurred object.  She could see that it was a gray cat with black stripes.  Then she looked at the paws.  “You’re a cat.  But, your toes are different than most cats.  Why?”

“I am a polydactyl cat. I have six toes. The extra toes help with balance,” Jack responded.

“Where did you live before you moved here?” asked Weezie.

“We lived in a place called Key West. I think it is a long way from here. It took forever to get here,” Jack said. “I didn’t mind though. Before I had this family, I had to search for food all over. I was lucky sometimes when I got handouts from other families in a neighborhood.”

“It’s nice to have a family and friends. I didn’t have a family until I became part of the band. Most people don’t really care for skunks. I liked the music and asked to be in the band. I promised not to share my special brand of perfume,” Weezie said.

“I know what you mean about not having a family. I feel lucky that my family adopted me. They told me that six toed cats used to be considered lucky. They wanted me to live with them.”

“That is a cool story. Why did the music attract you?” she asked.

“I’ve always liked music. It could be heard all over Key West. I even played the bongos a little when we lived there,” Jack said. ”My family loves music and encouraged me to be part of something they love.”

“What are bongos?” Weezie asked. “I haven’t ever heard of them.”

“They’re like a drum, but smaller. They’re attached to each other. I could sit and beat on them for hours,” Jack said dreaming about his time beating to his own rhythm.