Chapter 8
Cat Caretaker
Arielle Nygard
On Saturday afternoons Austin does a jigsaw puzzle. I try to buy him a new one every month, but thankfully he’s happy to complete an old puzzle. Today he’s working on old favorite - an elaborate castle chopped up into two thousand tiny pieces. He knows this picture well and he’ll be done in a couple of hours. I’m not allowed to help and honestly, to him I’m just a hindrance, but I want to be close to him. I sit nearby and search the internet for a suitable second job.
I google job listings in the area, for the millionth time. The search shoots back the same results, but I click on them anyway, knowing that some sites will have been updated with new offers. After an hour I’m about ready to give up – I’ve seen all of the job offers before.
‘One more page, and then I’m going to pack it in,’ I decide.
I scroll to the bottom of the page and there’s an ad I know I haven’t seen before.
Cat Caretaker,
I’m looking for someone to take care of an elderly cat. He needs company at home, and also requires regular medication. Discreet, professional caregiver essential.
Sounds interesting. And doable. There’s a phone number on the ad, so I punch the numbers into my cell phone and leave the room to make the call. I’m about to give up when the call is answered by a male voice. It’s clipped, slightly accented. British, I think.
“Cory Smith,” the voice says abruptly.
“Hi, my name is Arielle Nygard. I’m calling about the ad for a cat caretaker.” I’m suddenly feeling a bit apprehensive.
“Oh great! I didn’t expect to get a response so fast,” he says with a chuckle.
“I just saw the ad and thought I’d call to find out more about the job,” I say, trying to sound professional. “There’s not much detail about the hours and responsibilities.”
“Oh, yeah, I wrote it in kind of a hurry. Basically, I’m looking for someone to take care of my employer’s cat while he’s away on business or dealing with after-hours events. He doesn’t want it at a kennel, and the cat needs regular medication. Have you had previous experience with animals?”
My mind reels back. I had a hamster once, as a kid. Maybe I shouldn’t mention that – it didn’t work out so well. But I’ve managed to keep Austin in pretty good shape all these years. How much harder could a cat be? “Uh, sure,” I say. “Plenty. I’d love to interview for the job,” I press.
“Thisisthe interview. What do you know about cats?”
For a moment, I’m taken aback.‘Come on, Arielle, what do you know about cats?’“Well, um, I know they like to hunt mice and birds. I know most of them hate water.” I sound like an idiot. I give myself a mental shake and try again. “They require regular feeding. Litter boxes need daily cleaning. Regular brushing reduces hairballs. Bathing them can be—”
He cuts off my last sentence. “Good enough. How flexible are your hours? Can you work evenings and weekends?” he asks. “I don’t want you ditching me after a week because your husband is complaining about the hours.”
My mind is reeling again.Austin...But I really need this job. I’ll make a plan. “Not a problem,” I say, “my husband passed a couple of years back.”
“My condolences,” he says. “You’re hired.”
I’m floored.
“I’ll send you a pin to the house,” Cory continues. “There’ll be access codes and instructions in the mailbox at the gate.”
“Okay, sure,” I say.
“The cat’s name is Munchkin. He’ll be fine tonight, but you’ll need to go over tomorrow morning to give him breakfast and his meds.”
“Tomorrow morning. Not a problem.”
“You’re a lifesaver,” he says. “My employer is very...particular. He’s fond of this cat and there’ll be hell to pay if anything goes wrong.”
I gather my wits. Time to reassure him that I know what I’m doing. “You don’t need to worry. Munchkin will be just fine. I’ll take good care of him.”
“I don’t doubt it. So you’re sure you can start immediately?”
“Absolutely,” I say firmly. “Just one question...”
