Although my sister Carla was usually an adorable little girl, there were times when she got on her big brothers (mine) nerves.

One day in the winter of 1975 we were having a snowstorm. It was on a Saturday. Dad and Mum decided to take a trip into town despite the storm. The girls were invited to go with them and us boys were told we had to stay home.

Maybe it was Carla's snickering and talking baby talk as she ran to the car,whatever she did got me frustrated. I chased after her. She ran screaming to Mum and Dad. Of course she had their protection so I had to leave her alone physically, but I could still fight with her verbally.

As Carla got into the back seat of the car she acted a little to smug for my likings. I ran towards the car, just as I got to the car she slammed the door shut and locked it. She the stuck her tounge out at me, and started laughing. I said to her in an angry voice, "I am going to kill your cat while you're gone!" Carla started crying and talking in the awful baby voice again. "You better leave my kitty cat alone!" she cried out. Mum told Carla I was just being mean, I wasn't going to kill her cat.

I used Carla's cat to get back at Carla because I knew how much she loved her cat. I can't possibly remember how many times I sat in the livingroom rolling my eyes and telling her to shut up when she talked to her cat. She would talk in a baby voice and talk silly. She would say things like,"Come to mommy you wittle poody woody, or give mommy kiss you wittle kitty witty." All the silly stuff was just sickening sounding to us boys. I used to think Carla talked to the cat the way she did just to rile us boys up. If her intentions were to get us boys upset then she knew what she was doing, and she was great at it.

Anyway, Dad and Mum were on their way to the town of Presque Isle to do some shopping and Carla, Kim and Shelley were with them. Kevin and I stood on the front steps, we watched them as they drove out of the driveway. Carla made sure she looked back and stuck her tounge out at us.

It was not any more than two-minutes after Dad, Mum and the girls left the driveway, when a plow came down the road. Kevin and I stood and watched as the plow threw the snow into the air. When the plow was almost to our mailbox we saw a black thing fly through the air in the snow the plow was removing from the road. Us two boys ran out to see what it was.

As soon as I got within a few feet of the black object, I noticed the snow around it was red. I thought maybe the plow hit a fox. Was I surprised when I saw it was Carla's cat. I picked up the cat to see if it was still alive. The cat was limp in my hands. I shook the cat, but knew it was dead. As I carried the cat back to the house I remembered I had told Carla I was going to kill her cat while she was gone.

I said to Kevin, "They are going to think I killed Carla's cat because I told Carla I was going to." As Kevin and I walked to the house we talked about how no one was going to believe this. especially Carla. I told Kevin, "You have to be my witness. When I tell Carla what happened to her cat she's not going to believe me, so you have to tell her just what happened." kevin was half laughing as he agreed to back me up. We just couldn't believe Carla's cat was hit by a plow just a few minutes after I told her I was going to kill it. I couldn't believe my luck could be so bad.

When we got to the house, I put the cats body on the snowbank outside the front door. Kevin and I went in the house and watched television. We heard our family as the car pulled into the driveway. We went outside to see what they got while they were in town and to tell Carla the tragic news.

I tried to seem sympathetic as I started to tell Carla what had happened to her cat. As soon as I started to speak Carla started freaking out. She demanded to know where her cat was. I pointed to the snow where the cats body was. Carla really started freaking out then. Carla was crying real hard when she started screaming, "YOU CAT MURDERER! MUM, GEORGIE KILLED MY CAT! I TOLD YOU HE WOULD!" I had a very hard time trying to convince her I didn't kill her cat but a snowplow had.

As Carla was crying and kevin and I were trying to explain what had happened, I decided to just throw a few nice words. I said, "Carla, I will go out tomorrow and get you another kitten. I will get you whatever kind you want." Carla wasn't crying so hard when she asked, "promise?" I said, "cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye." Carla started telling me just what kind of cat she wanted.This surprised me. I thought maybe Carla might want to take a few minutes to mourn the death of her cat. Oh well, I guess a few seconds was all she needed.

When Carla decribed the new kitten she wanted replace her snowplow damaged cat, I asked out loud, "Where am I going to find a kitten like that?" Carla started crying again. "You made me a promise," she said. "O.K. Carla, what kind of kitten do you want again?" I asked. Carla said, "I want a yellow tiger stripped kitty with no tail and white feet." Wow! where was I going to find a kitten like she wanted?I promised her again, I would get her the kitten she wanted, but I did tell her it may take a few days to find her new kitten.I am not sure Carla was as much interested in a new kitten as she was hoping to drive me nuts looking for just the right kitten. Who ever just happened to come across a kitten like she wanted?

The next day I was at a neighbors house. I told them about me threatening to kill Carla's cat and how a snowplow came along and did it for me. I then told them how I promised to get Carla a new kitten and what the new kitten had to look like. My neighbor told me to follow her. My neighbor walked into her bedroom and I walked in behind her. She walked over to a cardboard box on the floor and said, "look at these kittens George. You can have whichever one you want." I couldn't believe it. I looked into the box and there was a yellow tiger stripped kitten, with white feet and no tail.

I took the kitten home with me. I was really upset with carla. I figured she had seen this kitten and this is why she mentioned all the special qualifications she wanted in her new kitten.

When I got home I Called to carla.She ran out of the house all smiles, and talking her silly talk to the new kitten. I asked Carla if she had ever seen the kitten before. carla told me she hadn't. I then questioned her on why she would happen to describe this kitten. Carla told me she didn't know, she just told me what kind of kitty she wanted. I was satisfied with her answer. I do not believe Carla ever did see the kitten before I handed it to her. I really amazed me how I had threatened to kill her cat and a plow hit it only a few minutes later, and then how I had to find this very special kitten and I did the very next day.

-- george nh (rcoopwalpole@aol.com), February 24, 2002

Answers

You are a man of your word Big Brother... For killing my kitty (kinda) and for getting me a new one. As for bugging all my big brothers... you boy sure didn't pass up any chances to pick at me... Did ya??? Poor wittle putty woody cats!

Love ya, Carla

-- Carla, Maine (carlieraeb@hotmail.com), February 25, 2002.

Carla, what ever became of the new kitten? I don't remember anything more about it.

I love you!

-- george nh (rcoopwalpole@aol.com), February 25, 2002.

George,

I don't know. I think we went thru a number of kitty cats and dogs before we left the farm. A few horses, pigs and sheep too. Remember Dutches?

Carla

-- Carla, Maine (carlieraeb@hotmail.com), February 25, 2002.

You guys are just too cute for words.

-- Jennifer (Jenniferthf@aol.com), February 26, 2002.

Uncle Georgie, I love your stories!!! Mom (Tina), and I sat down on the phone for 3 hours the other night (my phone bill is gonna be really high) reading your stories and boys didn't we bust a gut. I am glad that you did this. I'm always wanting mom to tell me stories of when she was growing up. This is really nice. Thank you Becca

-- Rebecca L. McLellan (rmclella@maine.rr.com), March 08, 2002.

Hi Rebecca, I bet you didn't know your mother,and your aunts and uncles were so wacky while growing up! We never clued you in because we wanted you to grow up as normal (if there is such a thing) as possible. We also wanted you to be able to walk out the door each day with your head held high. LOL I am glad you were able to read the stories with your mother. I love you and miss you. Uncle George.

-- george nh (rcoopwalpole@aol.com), March 09, 2002.

LOL!!!! Mom told me that you were having a family reunion in July. I Have to know when and where. I am getting married October 12th. So I guess some fool thinks I am normal enough, unlike my aunties and uncles. LOL!!!! I love and miss you too. I will talk to you soon. Until then, take care!! Love Becca

-- Rebecca L. McLellan (rmclella@maine.rr.com), March 09, 2002.