Tale #31 -- Growing Up

"How long are you going to keep that up?" Bandit asked. "This is getting boring."

Oreo kept right on clawing at the paperback book on the floor. "You know I enjoy shredding paper," she said.

"I don't think David McDougall was finished reading that," Bandit said.

"That's his fault for leaving it on the floor," Oreo said. "Anything on the floor is mine."

"I think you're angry," Bandit said. "What's wrong?"

Oreo stopped shredding the book. "Now that you mention it -- I'm still thinking about Ben's story."

"Really?" Bandit asked. "Was there something wrong with it?"

Oreo jumped up on the couch and looked Bandit in the eye. "What's going to happen to the father when his daughter leaves home?"

"Why would she leave home?" Bandit asked. "She decided to stay."

"It's not that simple," Oreo said. "Children grow up and leave home."

"How do you know?" Bandit asked.

"It happened to David McDougall," Oreo said.

"Really?" Bandit asked.

"When he was living in Ottawa, David McDougall took me from my family and brought me home for his little girl," Oreo said. "I was sad at first, but after a while I got used to the little girl. She let me sleep on her lap."

"Where is she now?" Bandit asked.

"She grew up and went away," Oreo said.

"That's sad," Bandit said. He washed his face for a while. Finally he asked,
"Are you going to grow up and go away?"

"No," Oreo said.

"That's good," Bandit said.

Just then, Ben came into the house. He looked at the mess of shredded paper on the floor. "Oh-oh," he said. "I guess I should have picked that up."

"That's not your job," Oreo said. "David McDougall should learn to pick up after himself."

Ben put the shredded book into the garbage and sat down on the couch. "I have news for you," he told the cats.

They looked at him. "What is it?" Bandit asked.

"Mr. McDougall phoned to tell me that his daughter invited him to stay with her for Christmas," Ben said. "He won't be home until December the 28th."

"Is that the little girl who grew up?" Bandit said.

"I think so," Oreo said.

"Don't worry, guys," Ben said. "Mom told me I can bring you to our place for Christmas. You'll have a great time."