Wednesday Writing Essentials: Ten Minute Exercise ("Mao's Secret Past")

For Kathryn's Wednesday Writing Essentials Exercise:

Mao

Ten minute writing exercise

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Mao's Secret Past

Hey! What are you doing on my bed?

What? You want to know where I got this white puss?

Okay, I'll tell you. But you gotta promise to keep it quiet. My mom thinks I was just an innocent kitten - rescued from the pound. But my history is much more startling than she'd ever know.

(Mom? Don't read this. Please!)

It all started when I was born behind the Imperial Palace in Esplistan. You've heard of it, right? It's always in the news with one military coup after another.

Well, crowned prince Oli was sneaking out his bedroom window one night. Really! He was. Only sixteen, I know, but what a trouble he was to his parents.

Anyway, he shimmied down on sheets knotted together and almost landed on my mother and sibs. We squealed and meowed at him. (I was always hungry. Still am, for that matter.) I meowed the loudest, and for some reason he got upset. Guess he thought my caterwauling would wake the guards. So he stuffed me in his royal pocket and off I went for the jounciest ride in history.

He must've mounted his palomino pony, for the sound of the galloping hooves deafened me. (You've noticed how I don't always come when called? Yeah. It's probably my hearing, all due to that rollicking loud ride down the asphalt road.)

I peeked out of his gold threaded pocket when we got to the dock, just in time to board a steamer headed for America. Oli threw his bags aboard, and then fished me out to enjoy the view of the disappearing shoreline. I purred around his neck, licking his ears.

That's when it happened.

The boat pitched, and I tumbled to the deck. And there - right in front of me - was the nicest pail of milk, just sloshing in the bucket and waiting for me to lap it up.

Why they left their white washing paint open and available to the nearest cat still puzzles me. But then again, life doesn't always make sense, does it?

So, after we landed in the States, I escaped and made my way to Kathryn's home, where I've enjoyed the comfort of warm white down ever since. And the paint has never worn off my mug.

Shhh.... don't tell anyone. My past is a secret and it's just between you and me now.

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