The Cat Show
Emily fidgeted as her mother tried to fasten her boots. "Where are we going, Mommy?"
"Hold still. I've got a wonderful surprise for you today. Let's see if you can button your own coat. Hurry up! We'll be late for the show."
Emily struggled with her buttons. "A show? We're going to the movies?" Her eyes widened at the prospect. Forbidden movies in the middle of the week!
"Oh, it's much better than movies.
We're going to the Natural History Museum's new show. C'mon, now! The Airtram won't wait for us."
Emily's face fell when she heard museum, but she loved her rare trips on the Airtram. She grabbed her grimy, worn Tigger doll and stuffed it inside her coat.
Outside, they only waited a few moments in the lightly falling snow; a whirring signalled the approach of the Airtram, which swooped in and hovered a few feet above the street. Rose held her daughter's hand as a small escalator dropped down from the Airtram. They moved in line behind the other waiting passengers, then whooped with laughter as they stepped on the escalator and were transported inside the flying bus. Rose lifted Emily into a window seat and fastened her seatbelt, then settled back for the short trip to the museum, only about 600 miles away.
Fifteen minutes later, they stood looking up at the granite building, an enormous edifice with three wings. Rose consulted the directory then grabbed Emily's hand and they raced up the steps.
"Mommy, where's the show? What are we going to see?" Emily clutched Tigger closely as her feet flew up the stairs.
"We're going to see cats, Emily. Real cats!" Rose's teeth chattered with excitement. She so well remembered the same visit she had taken as a child, when the Cat Show had come to the United States.
"Ooooh, you mean cats like Tigger?" Emily's eyes widened at the thought of a bunch of Tiggers on display.
"Nope. Real cats. Living, breathing, purring cats."
"Hah! Everybody knows that cats are only in story books. Like unicorns and -- what's 'purring', Mommy?"
Rose's smile widened. "You'll see, Pumpkin. You'll soon see."
Next > "You see, people commonly kept cats at home as pets."
"Hold still. I've got a wonderful surprise for you today. Let's see if you can button your own coat. Hurry up! We'll be late for the show."
Emily struggled with her buttons. "A show? We're going to the movies?" Her eyes widened at the prospect. Forbidden movies in the middle of the week!
"Oh, it's much better than movies.
We're going to the Natural History Museum's new show. C'mon, now! The Airtram won't wait for us."
Emily's face fell when she heard museum, but she loved her rare trips on the Airtram. She grabbed her grimy, worn Tigger doll and stuffed it inside her coat.
Outside, they only waited a few moments in the lightly falling snow; a whirring signalled the approach of the Airtram, which swooped in and hovered a few feet above the street. Rose held her daughter's hand as a small escalator dropped down from the Airtram. They moved in line behind the other waiting passengers, then whooped with laughter as they stepped on the escalator and were transported inside the flying bus. Rose lifted Emily into a window seat and fastened her seatbelt, then settled back for the short trip to the museum, only about 600 miles away.
Fifteen minutes later, they stood looking up at the granite building, an enormous edifice with three wings. Rose consulted the directory then grabbed Emily's hand and they raced up the steps.
"Mommy, where's the show? What are we going to see?" Emily clutched Tigger closely as her feet flew up the stairs.
"We're going to see cats, Emily. Real cats!" Rose's teeth chattered with excitement. She so well remembered the same visit she had taken as a child, when the Cat Show had come to the United States.
"Ooooh, you mean cats like Tigger?" Emily's eyes widened at the thought of a bunch of Tiggers on display.
"Nope. Real cats. Living, breathing, purring cats."
"Hah! Everybody knows that cats are only in story books. Like unicorns and -- what's 'purring', Mommy?"
Rose's smile widened. "You'll see, Pumpkin. You'll soon see."
Next > "You see, people commonly kept cats at home as pets."
