Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience.
 
 *** Written for Piper's Domain June/July Pet Contest:
/~Piper/contest.html Short but sweet.  feedback to
nickscramble@yahoo.co.uk Codes: Mg mast mc Mdom nosex

   ***

   Here Kitty Kitty

   'Here Kitty Kitty' crooned the neighbour again, like he did every night.
Katie rolled her eyes while she sat on the back porch, texting a friend
that very thing.

   'there's the cat called again by the dope nxt door'

   Katie had just turned 12 and as most girls like her in the neighbourhood
was bored senseless this summer.  The usual trip to the resort with the
family had just ended, and now she just had chores, summer sports and
trying to get out of the house to hang with her friends.  She had her long
black hair, just a few inches down her back, in a ponytail and it's end
always flicked around to her nose when she turned her head quickly.  Pale
skin that she learned to keep out of the sun, and not a freckle or mole on
it.  She kept her almost 5 foot trim and tidy, participating in most sports
from field hockey to climbing, although she always hated swimming.

   Tonight the sun was setting in the front of the house, turning the back
garden into blues and purples.  The neighbour called again, although lately
his voice was funny, like he had a cold or was speaking through a fan. 
He'd been over a few times, once as part of his job recording their stories
about a nearby tragedy for a radio program, which despite staying up to
listen to wasn't used.  'Edited out for time,' he said.

   His black cat finally slunk over the other fence, and as usual took a
detour to get a stroke from her.  She reached out and did so as it tilted
it's head for a skritch.  'Ugh,' she grimaced, hand returned all wet, and
instinctively raised her hand and smelled.  Some sort of incense, not
anything really nasty, but still sticky.

   'Mr Dope, um, Doppler', she called out.  'I think your cat fell into a
pool or something!'

   'What's that?  I'll get you something to wipe it off with.' he came over
to the fence then down to the bottom of his garden, opening his gate and
then standing at hers, 'Come here, Katie.'

   And she stood up and went to the gate, holding up her hand.  'See?' The
cat leaped over the fence behind them and in for it's supper.

   Mr.  Doppler stood about foot above Katie, and was old, like 40 or
something, his dark hair greying at the temples, and an unkempt goatee on
his otherwise shaven face.  He was nice enough, and had a fit body (Katie
had seen him in just shorts on warm days around his garden, but not like
she really was looking), but was, well, dopey, and with thick lenses on his
glasses, seemed to always be looking dopily at her.

   'Yes, it was good of you to come here, Katie.  I'll wipe it off.' He had
some cloth that he spent some time rubbing her hand with, and she stood
there for a couple of minutes, not minding the attention.  Some sort of
music, a beat like a heart chiming came from his shirt pocket.

   'What's that sound?' she asked, as he rubbed her wrist.

   'Oh, must've forgot to turn it off.' He pulled out a devise like an old
flip mobile, and pressed a button.  Out came the call, 'Here, Kitty,
Kitty!'

   She jumped, hand away, then laughed and Mr.  Doppler laughed as well. 
'See, I got so tired calling the damn cat, I decided to record it.'

   'Doesn't sound right, though,' she replied, not quite realising she'd
put her hand back into his, without the cloth, and feeling him massaging
her wrist gave her tingles.

   'Ah, good girl, you noticed.  Has to be distorted to be ambient enough
for the cat to hear it far enough away.' he grinned.

   Katie nodded and felt a rush of butterflies in her stomach as he
complimented her,then disappointment as he let go of her hand and wished
her a good night.

   A few moment later, she was heading inside, texting her friend about the
wet cat and the dopey neighbour.

   And, a few minutes later, she was saying good night to her parents and
stripping off her clothes, putting on light cott0n pyjamas, hopping into
bed, switching off her light and then tugging down her pyjama bottoms and
rubbing her hand on herself until the rush of butterflies returned and flew
around her.

   ---

   It was late in the morning when she finally woke up.  She was curled in
a ball.  The bedcovers were thrown off onto a heap on the floor.  Her top
was pulled up over her chest and bottoms wrapped around her ankles. 
Something was tugging at her, not physically, just in the back of her head.
She wanted to sleep more, but she was also thirsty.

   'Here Katie, Katie!'

   She jerked her head up.  All the sleepies went away.  Was that her mom
or dad calling?  No, they had gone away and left her all one today.

   'Here Katie, Katie'

   It was time for treats!  She uncurled, hands in fist pressing one two
three into the mattress as she arched her back and smiled.  She pulled up
her bottoms, wriggled down her top and leapt out of bed.  She snatched up
her hoodie and wrapped up all snug and zipped up while bounding down the
stairs and out the back door.  Down to the garden gate and around to the
Master's gate.  Three four five big steps to get to the door.

   'What a good girl!' she heard.  'Let's get you something fresh to
drink!' And the man put a glass of milk on the counter inside.  She burst
in and snatched the drink, a big grin on her face while she gulped the
cardamom spiced drink down.  'I think you have too much on, you don't need
to wear anything in here.' She stripped off her hoodie, her top, her
bottoms, and beamed again.

   'Let's have a snuggle now.' said the nice man, who took off his bathrobe
and sat on the sofa, patting it.

   And she slunk over, a little hesitant, but really just being contrary,
because once she hopped up next to him, and felt his hands on her, she felt
all a flurry, and started to lick him back.
   It was going to be a great summer.