Disclaimers: None needed here… My story, my characters and my friends.
This story is dedicated to Nina. The names belong to real people/friends/amigas and pets and this story comes from the heart. Nina, Racquette still has your picture.
OK Debbie, since you did not pout, I decided to let you have some fun with this story too.
This story is for children of all ages. Enjoy.
Up a Tree
A Racquette and Nina Adventure - #2
By Susan A. Rice
"Oh look Racquetinho," said Nina, "You can see all the way to the fast moving water from way up here."
Racquette turned to his friend and said, "Yah, you sure can. Look at how high up we are. This is great fun Nina. You’re really good at climbing trees."
Nina delicately licked a spot of dirt off of her little white paw. Her big green eyes met Racquette’s yellow green eyes and she let out a purr of delight. She walked over to him and said, "Thank you."
The two friends continued to talk with each other and saw Mommy Lu and Mommy Sue come out of the house.
"Look Racquette, there’s Mommy Lu and Mommy Sue. We should tell them how beautiful it is up here and ask them to come and see this view."
"Mommy Sue," yelled Racquette, "You have got to come up here. This is great. Bring Mommy Lu, there is plenty of room up in this tree."
"Yes. Please Mommy Lu, you must come up here too. This is beautiful. You could draw it and send it out to folks."
Lúcia and Susan heard their cats cry out for them and started to look around. Finally, Lu spotted them in the green canopy of the trees.
"Oh my!" said Lúcia, "How did they get all the way up there?"
Susan turned around and looked up. "Why am I not surprised?"
"Mommy Sue," yelled Nina, "Please get Mommy Lu to come up here. Please. Pretty please."
"Yah. Come on Mommy Lu," said Racquette, "This will be great fun."
Susan and Lúcia continued to listen to Racquette and Nina as the cats cried out from the branches above.
Susan turned to Lúcia, "I think they’re scared. How are you at climbing trees?"
Lúcia looked at Susan and laughed. "Oh, minha amiga (my friend), I’m an artist not a lumberjack. How are we going to get them down?"
"Well we have three choices, I can try to climb up, we can call a friend with a really big bucket truck, or we can call the fire department and see if they can lend a hand."
Lúcia looked at Susan and asked, "You really think you can climb that tree?"
"Well, no, but I’m willing to give it a try," said Susan.
"Um, I don’t know if that is such a good idea," said Lúcia.
"Oh, I never said it was good, I just said it was a choice."
Meanwhile, Racquette and Nina continued to yowl their encouragement, "Come on up."
"Look Nina! Mommy Sue is going to come up."
"Oh Racquette, this will be so much fun."
"Nina, it looks like Mommy Sue is having a problem getting started. I think we need to help her. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her climb a tree before," said Racquette.
"Then we have to help her. Go on down to one of the lower branches and talk her through it," said Nina.
"Hold on Mommy Sue! I’m coming to help," yowled Racquette.
Lúcia continued to watch the cats in the tree and called to Susan, "Racquette is moving toward you. Maybe my Nina will do the same."
Susan, now several branches up into the tree, looked up to see her favorite cat with an attitude heading toward her. She waited patiently for him to climb down to her. When he was a branch away he stopped and looked at her.
"Hi Mommy Sue! I love you! You’re doing good, now just come a little closer. Grab onto this branch over here."
Susan looked at the cat and said, "Come here Racquette. Good boy, just a little closer. Come on fella, I’ll get you down." Slowly she reached for him.
"Down???" meowed Racquette, "No, come on, you can make it, come on up. See, it’s easy, just follow me."
Having said that, Racquette turned and jumped up onto the next branch.
"Racquette! Get back here," she said as she reached for the branch he just vacated.
"What Mommy Sue? Come on, your doing great!"
Lúcia started to chuckle as she watched her friend chase her cat up the tree. "Oh Racquetinho, you are playing with your Mommy."
Susan stopped and looked at her friend, "You enjoying yourself? Now why won’t he come down out of the tree? He can do it."
"Maybe it is my Nina that is having the problem and he is helping her."
"Maybe, but Lu, I don’t think I can climb that high. I think we will need to call for help." Having said this, Susan proceeded to return to her friend’s side.
"Wait! Mommy Sue, you were doing so well. Where are you going?" yowled Racquette. Racquette turned and ran back up the tree to Nina.
"Oh Racquetinho, she tried. She did pretty good considering she is not a cat."
"Yah," pouted Racquette.
The two cats watched as Mommy Lu and Mommy Sue went into the house. They continued to relax in the treetop and talked about those things that interested a kitty. They also chased any of the birds that were crazy enough to land near them.
Suddenly they heard a sound, "Beep, beep, beep." and they saw this unusual truck pulling into the yard.
"Racquetinho, what is that?" asked Nina.
"Oh, that’s just my friend Debbie," said Racquette. "Debbie likes to play with Lady in the backyard and has fun talking with Mommy Sue."
Susan and Lúcia came out of the house to greet their friend. "Hi Debbie! How’s it going today?"
"Not to bad, but I have to tell you, I nearly laughed myself silly on the way over here when I heard on the radio that you were climbing trees trying to catch that black furball of yours." said Debbie.
"Well yah, but the question is, can you get to them with that cherry picker of yours?"
"Oh, I can get them," said Debbie.
"Thank you Debbie," said Lúcia, "I was worried that my Nina was not going to be able to get out of the tree."
"Like I said, Lúcia, this will be a snap, but first, Susan, do you mind if I go inside for a minute to get something?"
"Sure thing, help yourself," said Susan
With that Debbie turned and walked into the house. A couple of minutes later, Debbie returned with a covered dish in hand.
Both Nina and Racquette watched intently as Debbie approached Mommy Lu and Mommy Sue.
"Racquetinho, what is Debbie carrying?" asked Nina.
"I don’t know," replied Racquette.
Debbie smiled and said, "This is the easiest way I know of to get a cat out of a tree."
Putting the dish on the ground, Debbie removed the cover, showing Lucia and Susan a can of tuna fish and a can opener. "Here kitty, kitty, kitty, come and get it!" Debbie picked up the can opener and started to open the can.
At the sound of the can opener breaking the seal on the can, both cats yowled loudly and started to scramble down the tree. Happy little yells of "Tuna fish" could be heard through the branches and the two friends raced for the ground.
Debbie had just finished opening the can just as Racquette and Nina made that final leap to the ground. Both cats were purring up a storm as they rubbed there little furry bodies against Debbie’s legs.
"Oh tuna! My favorite," purred Racquette.
"I love tuna! Racquette, you are right, Debbie is a good friend," chirped Nina
"Good Kitties," said Debbie as she put the tuna into a bowl for her fuzzy friends to enjoy.
Both cats said, "Thank you!" and started to enjoy this special afternoon treat.
Susan and Lúcia looked at each other and then at the cats. Debbie started to laugh at the expressions on their faces. Susan and Lúcia joined in on the laughter.
Once the cats finished their afternoon snack, Susan and Lúcia picked them up and cuddled them.
Nina looked up into Lúcia’s eyes and said, "Mommy Lu, I had tuna!" as she gave Lúcia a kiss on the cheek. Lúcia smiled and she felt her Nina purr in her arms.
Susan flipped Racquette onto his back and started to scratch his tummy. "You were such a naughty boy Racquette, why did you keep running away from me when I tried to get you out of the tree?"
Racquette looked up at Susan and purred, "You almost did it Mommy Sue. We’ll have to practice more often."
With that, the three friends went into the house for some tea while our two furry felines decided that it was time for a catnap.
The end