Tuesday, April 26, 2005

Strays part 7 Understanding I would’ve loved to have stayed and talked with Summer longer, but she was starting to yawn. She stretched out on all fours and arched her back just like cat. “Thanks for you company, Artukei. We should do it again sometime. Goodnight.” I got up and started towards the door. “Night, Summer.” Just as I was about to walk out the door, nature’s call gave me a little tug. “Um... Summer? One more question.” “Sure.” “Is there a.... a little boy’s room down here?” Just up the stairs from the platform and to the right was the restroom. The ladies room, actually. It was the only one where the girls had gotten the plumbing to work. I felt a little naughty going into the girl’s bathroom. “I just hope none of the others are in here,” I thought. But right after I stepped in, I heard one of the stalls flush. Just my luck. And who should it be? Non other than Giselle. She stepped out and gave a startled screech when she saw me. “I’m sorry,” I said. “I didn’t mean to...” But right in the middle of my apology, her face became filled with disgust and she stormed towards the door, rudely bumping me aside as she did so. “Hey, what is your problem?!” I yelled. She stopped at the door and without looking at me bitterly replied, “You were in my way.” Then she left. Oh, that did it! “That little...!” I marched back outside and saw her walking down the stairs. I called to her, “Excuse me!” But as soon as she heard me, she started running. “Hey, wait! Wait a minute!” But she had already vanished into the shadows. I mumbled under my breath, “Stuck up bitch,” and returned to the bathroom. When I came out I saw Kanasuki sitting on the stair rail. I could see her more clearly in this light now. Just like how humans individualize themselves by the clothes they wear, the girls all seemed to have their fur designed differently. Kanasuki looked like she was wearing white knee socks, long white gloves, a one piece orange and white swimsuit, and faded orange bands on her upper arms and thighs. “Don’t let her get to you,” she said. “Giselle’s really nice. She’s just a little shy around humans.” “Shy is putting it nicely. Yeah, I’ve noticed,” I said. “But what about you? You’re not shy at all. In fact, you helped me before you knew I helped Felicia.” “I like people,” she said. “They’re very interesting. I used to watch them all the time in the park where I grew up.” Humans go bird watching and whale watching and watch all kinds of animals. Yet I never seriously thought that some of them would be watching us. Now that’s ironic. I laughed a little as I thought this. “An avid people watcher, ay?” She hopped down and approached me. “I’ve always watched humans from a distance or in my cat form. And after all these years, there’s still so much about them I don’t understand. You’re the first one I’ve actually met. I have so many things I want to ask you.” Interesting. Whereas the others grew up with humans, Kanasuki grew up only observing them. I felt sort of honored to be the ambassador of my race. “OK,” I said. “Fire away.” She looked at me a little confusedly and asked her first question. “What does ‘fire away’ mean?” Looks like I had my work cut out for me. Kanasuki’s curiosity and innocence was absolutely charming. I just wanted to hug her. But I’d wait till she got to that question. “One more thing,” she said. “I’ve seen this many times. Two humans will walk up to each other and shake hands in the air. What does this mean?” Shake hands in the air? I thought for a minute about what she was trying to say. “Could you show me?” I asked. Kanasuki grabbed my hand and raised it so it was level with my face. “Like this,” she said. “Oh! That’s called a ‘high five’,” I said. “High five?” she repeated. “It is like shaking hands,” I explained. “It can be used as a greeting, but it’s mostly used as an expression of celebration. Like if you’re playing a game and your team mate makes a point, you give them a high five. It’s like saying ‘Alright! Yatta! You did it!’” Kanasuki’s face lit up with wonder. “Can I try?” I nodded, “Sure!” I raised my hand, but instead of slapping it she gently grabbed it. I laughed at this cute mistake. “No. You’re supposed to slap it,” I said. She cocked her head to the side and gave a confused “nya”. I reiterated, “Slap it as hard as you can.” She drew her hand back and slapped mine as hard as she could. “Good! Moto. Again.” She drew back again and slapped it even harder. “Sugoi! Now let’s try something.” I held my hand up to her level. “Gimmie five!” Slap! I raised it slightly above my head. “Up high!” She had to jump for it, but.... slap! I lowered it to just below my waistline. “Down low!” But before she could slap it, I swiped it away. “Too slow.” She uttered a sad little mew. Then she folded her ears and looked down. “Oops.” I crouched down and patted her shoulder. “No, no. It’s OK. It’s OK. It’s just... it’s like a little game.” “Nya? Really?” “Yeah. Do it to me.” “OK.” She raised her paw. “Gimmie five!” Slap! “Up high!” Slap! “Down low!” I thought for sure I’d get her, but.... swish! With lightning speed, she hid her paw behind her back before I could slap it. “Too slow.” She playfully grinned at me. I couldn’t stand it any longer. I reached out and gave Kanasuki a big hug. She squeaked in surprise like a mouse. “Ask me later,” I said. After indulging her curiosity, Kanasuki and I walked back to her room. “I have more questions,” she said, “but I can’t stay awake any longer.” It was almost 3:30. “Maybe we can go above sometime and you can be my guide.” “Maybe,” I said. “It was a pleasure talking to you, Kanasuki-chan.” She bowed at her door. “Oyasuminasai, Artukei-sama.” I returned her bow. “Oyasuminasai, Kanasuki-chan.” Then she stepped inside the car and her bright blue eyes faded into the darkness. I looked at the train cars and tried to remember which one my bed was in. “Well, this one’s Kanasuki’s. The one next to it is Summer’s. This one! This one’s Felicia’s. Hmm. Then that one must be....” The last car on the end had to be Giselle’s. That girl had been nothing but a total bitch to me ever since I got here. Well no more. I had had it up to my eyeballs with her and I wanted to know what was up. I started marching down to the last car. I wasn’t going to sleep that night without an explaination and an apology. But as I stormed down the platform, my anger started to melt as I recalled the events of the night and the stories of the other girls. Humans hadn’t exactly been the kindest creatures to them. Giselle’s history was probably no different. I still wanted an apology, but now I was going to get it with a little understanding. I approached Giselle’s car and gently knock on the door. “Excuse moi? Mademoiselle?” I whispered. There was no answer. Figures. “Giselle..... If you’re in there I just want to say.... I understand. Humans must’ve been very mean to you in the past. Whatever it was they did to you....... on behalf of humanity I want to say, ‘I’m sorry.’ I mean, it’s times like this that I’m really ashamed of my own species. And I mean that sincerely.” Still nothing. “I guess... what I’m trying to say is...... could you give me a chance?” Still silence. “Giselle?........” I looked in the car, but saw nothing but black. “Bon soir, mademoiselle.” I turned around and started walking back to my bed. Really it was me who ended up apologizing. Giselle may never say a kind word to me as long as I live. But if she did hear me,... maybe.... just maybe.....

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