the cats at Guilley.

 i've always wondered why Labour Day is a public holiday when labour obviously means to work. have never gotten an answer to this childhood question of mine. o well.

i'd just got home from a solitary escapade. had gotten up in the morning and made my way to breakkie and a little bit of studying at mac. i like looking like a nerd, eating alone staring into thin air.

although all my innocence has gone so many eons ago.

that aside, what have i got to share with you today?

meet Zorro. (this picture is from 2 years ago)

he's the third arrival in my aunt's household of 6 cats, my cousin bringing him home upon discovery of the shaking little kitten, barely covering a human palm.

someone had attempted to burn this little kitty, as proved by a long burn mark etched into the side of his body. it's permanent, it's still there now, just seemed a little shrunken due to the growth of his body.

so anyway, my cousin had saved Zorro's life, my aunt had provided him with shelter and food, while my uncle showers him with love and care. the household had been Zorro's saviour, and sometimes, he returns the favour in tiny but visible and meaningful ways.

my grandmother says Zorro is their rezeki.

in this very household there's another cat by the name of Katie, the anak dara tua, who is pretty feisty and temperamental. she's always  reaching out her claws to unsuspecting passing feet, for no apparent reason.

now, my mother; she sees something in Katie which is worth teasing. each time Katie is minding her own business, my mother would come over and disturb her. eventually, Katie recognizes my mother, but for the wrong reasons.

time to come, my mother grows afraid of Katie. one day, the huge cat decided to lie down smack dab in the middle of the lane when my mother had to leave. to go out the door, she had to pass by that cat of course, who would no doubt try to bite or scratch my mother's legs.

grandmother and i had tried to coax her into moving away, but of course, she refused.

jokingly, my mother shouts: "Zorro! come and help me."

along came the smaller cat, staring up at my mother, and then at Katie. to all our horros and surprise, Zorro pounced on Katie; the latter started to cry and they got into a horrible catfight.

eventually Katie dashes back to the room, away from the scene, clearing the path to the door once again.

my mother still believes that Zorro had saved the day then.

Zorro is also my uncle's alarm clock. in the night, my uncle would yell at Zorro, "Zorro! wake me up at 7 tomorrow morning." and the next morning, by 6:55 Zorro would be meowing at the top of his voice by my uncle's mattress.

i dont have any recent pictures of Zorro, or any of the other cats from Guilley for that matter. i've got dozens of stories though. the household is always chaotic with all 6 of them around.

there are Katie, Hometown, Zorro, Halia, Tilda, and Tanda. i love Hometown the most. that's not his real name though, this is just what i address him as. i don't even remember the reason, it's been years.

when Katie and Hometown were still little, they came over to my own house here in Pasir Ris once. Hometown couldnt stop meowing for some reason, not until i took him in my solace and cradled him in my arms. he had fallen asleep and only woke up when it was time for them to go home.

that's my earliest memory of Hometown, way back in 2008.

so yeah. maybe someday i'll gather all the bizarros that had happened with these cats, and share with ya. here are just some random facts about the cats, that i notice.

-Katie loves boxes.
-Hometown is the quiet gentleman type.
-Zorro is the one who brings chaos.
-Halia will always call out to you whenever you pass him by.
-Tilda loves to massage my grandmother's inner thighs.
-Tanda is very attached to Zorro.

hmmm, now that i mention it, it's been awhile since i last went to Guilley.