They came in the night. They came on silent steps, their breath heavy with purpose and malice. They came and stood before me, like dark spectors on a stormy night, meowing in unison, their voices deep and threatening.
"Henri! We have come for the blue bunny!"

Quickly, I jumped between my rabbit and these thieves who came in the dead of night to take him away! "No! I growled. "You can't have my blue bunny. He is mine! He was given to me by my friend Clarence of Belden! How could I part with such a treasure!"

"Henri!" The voice of Clarence himself boomed through the room. "It was I who won the blue rabbit when I carefully and skillfully manuvered the hook that captured the toy and dropped it into the bin. I then offered it to Rumsfeld, whose eyes glowed with delight at its sight. He then declined my sincere offer as his living accomodations were rather crude and he feared the rabbit would suffer damage. I then gave it to you. Gladly you took it to your bosom! For that I was happy! But now it is time to give it up! It is time to let Rumsfeld have the blue bunny!"

Then Helen, my housemate appeared at the foot of the bed. "Come on Henri, give up the rabbit! Let Rumsfeld have a nice bunny to snuggle up with at night. Be a real tomcat! Show us how strong you are!"

"Oh, shut up, Helen!" I hissed. "Keep your opinions to yourself! All I'm meowing about is that I am the rightful owner of the blue rabbit! It has nothing to do with me being or not being a true tomcat!"

"As far as I'm concerned, old man, I want Rumsfeld to have the blue rabbit!" The meow came from Falstaff, Rumsfeld's street friend. He flexed his muscles, arched his back and puffed up his tail! He was a formidable sight!

"Okay," I purred, "I guess Rumsfeld can have the blue rabbit...." The lump in my throat threatened to choke me. I eyes smarted with unshed tears.

Carlyle patted me on the head. "You will be a better cat for giving up your prize to Rumsfeld. Your kindness will be known throughout the neighborhood and throughout the Evergreen Lake Colony, that is, if I can remember to tell everyone on the way home and can still recall this generous gesture of yours when I reach the Colony."

"Gee, thanks a heap, Carlyle." I pushed the blue rabbit toward Clarence's paws. "Here take it! I don't ever want to see it again! I shall never put one paw past the door of Rumsfeld's home! So there!"

"Hey you guys! Have you got my rabbit yet?" The hoarse meow came from below the bedroom window. It was Rumsfeld, who had come to claim his prize!

Helen called through the window. "Come around to the back door, Rumsfeld and I'll let you in!" Within minutes Rumsfeld rushed into the room. He jumped onto the bed and gazed lovely at my blue rabbit. Then he turned slowly, taking in all the items in the room.

"What are those?" he asked, pointing his paw at the two stuffed rabbits that were stacked in the corner. "Are those the bunnies that the Florida cat sent to Henri?"

"Yes, they are, Rumsfeld," purred Helen. "Aren't they lovely? Their plush is so soft and cuddly...And they are so pleasing to the eye, don't you think?"

Rumsfeld jumped from the bed and ran over to the stuffed rabbits. "Hey, I really like these!" he cried loudly. "They really are nice! They look much better than that blue rabbit of Henri's!"

"Yes," agreed Helen. "Henri's blue rabbit is rather cheaply made, don't you think?"

Nicely made bunny.
Cheaply made bunny.

"I want the nice, fuzzy rabbit. I don't need that cheap rabbit!" Rumsfeld growled. "For my new home, I want the very best!"

The cat had spoken or meowed if you want to be specific. So we carried the fuzzy bunny through the bedroom and the hallway, through the kitchen and out the back door to the deck, across the deck to the back gate and down the corner of Bel Air. At the corner, Rumsfeld and Carlyle, Falstaff, Clarence and I lifted the fuzzy bunny to our backs and proceeded down the street in the direction of Rumsfeld's new home. It was one o'clock in the morning. Few automobiles passed us on the way. No humans crossed ou path. Only a curious raccoon waved to us and asked where we were going. "This is my new bunny rabbit!" exclaimed Rumsfeld, beaming. "I'm taking it to my new house so that when the weather gets cold and drafty I will have something to cuddle up to at night!"

The racoon shrugged its shoulders. "To each his own," he muttered behind his paws.

The five of us managed to shove the rabbit through the narrow hole under the deck. Rumsfeld was inside, pulling on its ears as we four were outside, pushing on the toys rear. It popped through the opening like a cork popping from a champagne bottle. (Yes, I have seen that happen, believe it or not....) Fortunately there were no injuries. We all landed in a bed of petunias. Rumsfeld's fall was broken by the toy rabbit.

Helen was waiting for me at the back door when I arrived home. I had left Carlyle and Clarence at the corner and Falstaff had decided to stay with Rumsfeld for the night. "You were very brave when you agreed to part with your blue bunny. I'm very proud of you, Henri," she purred. "I'm so glad Rumsfeld decided to take one of the other rabbits."

"So am I," I meowed, "I really didn't want to part with my Binky Bunny."

"You named the blue rabbit, Binky? I can't believe it!," howled Helen, rolling around on her back with her feet in the air. "Sidney, get this! Henri named that blue rabbit of his, Binky! Isn't that the funniest thing you've ever heard? Wait until I tell, Penelope and Marge and Sandy! Henri call his widdle wabbit, Binky!!"

Sometimes I wish I lived alone! All alone!!! The End

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