"Hah!" Kate laughs.
"Your pop will throw him out faster than you can say 'good old Jeff.'"
"Yeah-h?" I say it slowly and do some thinking.
Taking Cat home had been just a passing thought, but right now I decide I'll really go to the mat with Pop about this.
He can have his memories of good old Jeff and rabbit hunts, but I'm going to have me a tiger.
Aunt Kate gives me a can of cat food and a box of litter, so Cat can stay in my room, because I remember Mom probably gets asthma from animals, too. Cat and I go home.
Pop does a lot of shouting and sputtering when we get home, but I just put Cat down in my room, and I try not to argue with him, so I won't lose my temper.
I promise I'll keep him in my room and sweep up the cat hairs so Mom won't have to.
As a final blast Pop says, "I suppose you'll get your exercise mouse hunting now. What are you going to name the noble animal?"
"Look, Pop," I explain, "I know he's a cat, he knows he's a cat, and his name is Cat. And even if you call him Honorable John Fitzgerald Kennedy, he won't come when you call, and he won't lick your hand, see?"