Three Little Kittens

Daddy found a nest of newly hatched kittens under the tackle shed in the boat yard. Their eyes were open and they were six weeks old or so. They weren't 'tamed' yet, but their curiosity was getting the better of them and when they heard people approach, they would duck their little black and white faces out from under the shed floor. He asked the boys if they wanted to see some kittens.

"Yes, yes, yes!" they fired in unison. Nine year old Charlie, seven year old Sage and their four year old cousin, Ronnie.

"Well, then, these are still wild cats. So you have to be extremely quiet so you don't scare them," Daddy reminded them.

"We will!" Charlie

"Okay, Let's go!" Sage

"You betcha!" Ronnie

They were jumping with excitement to see the find.

He led them through the back door of the boathouse and across the street into the boatyard, where he paused and bent down. In a low voice, he reminded them, "You have to be extremely quiet not to frighten them. So be quiet and and sit down where I show you."

They nodded excitedly, not saying anything but their excitement was making it hard for them to stop moving.

Daddy led them farther into the boatyard and motioned them to sit down in some tall weeds surrounding the tackle shed. Carefully, each little boy settled on his haunches, ducking their heads to peer under the shed. No cats were visible. Nothing moved.

Heads bobbed up to Daddy, speechless but pleading with him to make the elusive kittens appear. Daddy squatted down among the boys and whispered, "Well, now, all you have to do is to make kitten noises and they'll come out."

Silence for just a moment. Each little boy began mewing and squealing in a kittenish fashion. They paused, then started again.

One by one, three tiny heads poked out from under the shed. Black and white kittens with spikey white whiskers to examine this strange new breed of 'kittens'. The boys were entranced with what they'd produced as each species got to study the other.

Me? I'm standing at the boatyard gate completely enthralled with my son and his kids. What a special moment. Of course, I'd forgotten the video camera.