SydneyPatten,SarahMcEllis,BriannaBurns

MrsByers
DevelopmentalWriting
3June2016
TheCatLady
Maybeitshergenes,maybeitsthefactthatshewasbornonacatfilledKentuckyfarm
in1981,butshesalwayshadaspecialconnectionwithallfelines.Asalittlegirl,oneofher
choreswasfeedingandcaringforallofthebarncatsherparentshad,sosheendedupspending
mostofhertimeoutsidewiththelittlefurballs.Hercatswereherbestfriends,becausenobodyat
schoolwaswillingtotryandunderstandwhoshewas.Theycalledhercrazycatgirland
EleanorLicksherself,whichwascleverwordplayoffofhername,EleanorLichtenstein.She
didntunderstandwhy,butitstillmadeherupset.Thankfully,thecatsweretheretoconsoleand
comfortherdayafterday.
Astimewenton,sheslowlybecamemoreandmoreisolatedandawkward,until
eventuallyherfamilynolongertalkedtoher.Therewasoneperson,however,thatseemedto
enjoyhercompany,JohnnyDernstrom.Whileinhighschool,Eleanorworkedintownatthe
localgrocerystore,Louies,whereshemetJohnny,afellowbaggerandtheonlyperson
awkwardenoughtorelatetopoorEleanor.Theymetinthecatfoodaisle,whereshewas
restockingcans.
Hhey.Thebosstoldmetoccomeandaskyouiftherewasaanythingyouneededhelp
with,hestuttered,shufflinghisfeetandlookingtotheground.

Um,ImeanIguessyoucouldhelpmerestockthesecatfoodcans,ifyouwant,she
replied.Shethoughthewasmoderatelycuteandwasexcitedtobeworkingwithhimforwho
knewhowlong.Thefeelingwasmutual,andthus,abuddingromancebegan.
EleanorandJohnnyspentmostoftheirtimetogether,exceptwhenEleanorneededher
alonetimewithhercats,whichJohnnywastotallyokaywith,becauseheunderstoodherlovefor
them.Hehimselfwasaloverofhamstersofalldifferentcolorsandsizes.Theymadesurethat
theiranimalsnevercrossedpaths,though,becausethatwouldveendedbadly.Theymadethe
perfectcouple.Eleanorwasasurprisinglygoodgirlfriend,neverforgettingabirthdayor
anniversaryandalwayscomfortingJohnnywhenheneededit.Shebecamemorealiveinasense
andlessobsessedwithcats(atleasttoacertaindegree).Herfamilybegantoinvitehertofamily
gettogethersagain,whichmadeherhappy,ifnotabituncomfortablewithallthepeople.
Everythingwasperfect,butifyouveseeneverysoapoperabefore,likeEleanorhad,youknow
thatitwasntgoingtolast.
OnenightasEleanorandherfavoritecatsweregettingreadyforbed,shethoughtabout
herfuturewithherperfectboyfriend,Johnny,andhowtheycouldworktheirrelationshipout,
withEleanorsloveforcats,andJohnnysloveforhamsters.Iftheygotmarriedhowcouldallof
herbelovedcatslivewithallofJohnnyshamsters?Eleanorwasgettingveryworriedabouttheir
futureanddecidedthattalkingtohercatswouldhelphercalmherselfdownsoasusualshesat
downnexttoherfourfavoritecats,Mittens,Lulu,Kitty,andMr.Whiskersandtalkedtothem
abouthertroubles.Asshewastalkingtothemshedecidedtocombtheirsoft,silkyfuroutso
theywouldnthaveanyknots.Afterhoursofturmoilandinternalarguing,Eleanormakesa
decisionthatsheknewwouldchangehowthingshadbeengoinglately.Asshefinallycalmed

herselfdownshedecidedthatitwastimetogotobed.Shegotunderthequilthergreataunt
Gertrudemadeforherandfellasleep.Thenextdayshewokeup,metupwithJohnny,andended
therelationship.Everyoneinvolvedinherlifewasincrediblyconfusedanddistressedforher,
becausetheyhadlikedhersomuchmorewhenshewaswithJohnny.Thatwas,ofcourse,why
shedecidedtobreakitoffshestartedtothinkthatbeingwithJohnnyhadchangedhertoomuch,
anditwasthatnew,changedEleanorthatmostpeopleliked.Shethoughtthatwasridiculousand
madeithergoalforittobesomethingshewouldneveraccept.Ifshewasgoingtohavea
companion,catorotherwise,theywouldhavetoacceptherasshewas.Sheneededtofindaway
tokeeppeoplethatchangedheroutofherlife.
Thatishowshecametofindherwonderfuljobatthetelemarketingoffice.Beinga
telemarketermeantthatshewasabletotalktopeopleallday,butshedidntneedtobuild
connectionswithanyofthem.Shewashappytofindaplacetoworkwherenopersonwouldbe
abletochangeher.Shewasalsohappybecauseshewasabletowalktotheofficeinsteadof
havingtodealwiththehassleofdriving,evenifherclubfootmadeitabitdifficult.
Unfortunately,thisjobalsoledtooneofthemostunfortunateoccurrencesknownto
Eleanor,beinginvitedtoaparty.Oneofhercoworkers,Amy,walkeduptoheronedayduring
lunchbreak.
Hey,Eleanor!IwaswonderingifyoudliketocometomyNewYearsEveparty.
Everybodyfromtheofficewillbethere,evenJim,shesaidwithawink.Eleanordidntknow
whattothink.Shewantedtogo,butshedidntwanttohavetobearoundthatmanypeopleforso
long.Shedecidedthatshewouldtalktohercatsaboutit.

Um,Illletyouknowtomorrow,afterIcheckmycalendar,Eleanorreplied,really
intendingtoimmediatelygohomeandconversewithhercats.
Whenshegothome,Mittens,Lulu,Mr.Kitty,andWhiskerswereallwaitingforherat
thedoor.
OhmygoshguysIhadtheweirdestday!AmyinvitedmetoherNewYearsEveparty!
WhatshouldIdo?ShouldIgo?Sheexclaimed,floppingontothecouch.Theyweresilent.A
momentofthoughtpassed.
Youguysaresoright,Ishouldtotallygo.Jimwillbethere,anditllbefine.Thanks
guys,Iloveyou!Timefordinner!
WhenshearrivedattheNewYearsEvepartythreedayslaterwithherscandalous
dress,shewasreadytotalktoJimandhaveagoodtime.Itwastoobadthathercripplingfearof
facetofaceinteractionsetin,causinghertobeextremelyuncomfortable.Shedecidedthat
talkingtoJimcouldwaitanotherfewyears,andshestuckbythesnacktableallnight.
Alongwithtalkingtohercatsandavoidinghousework,oneofEleanorsfavoritethings
todowastakingwalksandcasuallyhoppingthroughpeopleswindowsandmaybeborrowing
afewitems.Onenight,whenshewasfeelingparticularlysneaky,shedecidedtotryand
borrowthingsfromhernextdoorneighbor,Mr.Pendragon.Shedonnedherblackcombat
bootsandherblackcatsuit,whichshowedoffhershort,slightfigure.Thensheputherblackski
maskoverherunrulyheadoffrizzygrayblondehairandawkwardlycrawledoutofherwindow
andfellontothefireescapeintheprocess.Mr.Pendragonshousewasrightacrossthealley
fromherapartmentbuilding,soallEleanorhadtodowasjump.Fortunately,sheknewMr.
Pendragonssecuritycodeafterwatchinghimputitinyearafteryearfromherwindow.Itonly

tookabout15minutesforhertogetinandoutofthehousewithallofthethingssheneededto
borrow,whichisactuallylongerthanitusuallytakes.Shewenthomewithherlootandjoined
hercatsonthesofa.Twodayslater,EleanorsawMr.Pendragonsstatementinthenewspaper
concerningtherobbing.Hestatedthattheburglarmusthavebeenextremelysneakyandsmart,
becausehewasalightsleeperandwasasleepinthebedroom.
Eleanor,beingthecheapskatethatshewas,spentmuchofhertimecuttingcouponsand
savingtheminasizablebinder.EventhoughshehadhergiantinheritancefromherlateAunt
Gertrude,shelikedtosavemoneyandbesensible.Sheusedmostofhercouponsoncatfood,
becauseotherwise,thecatfoodwoulduseupallofherinheritanceinaboutayear.Theonlytype
ofcatfoodshelikedtogetwasPurinasKitKaboodle,becauseitwastheonlykindhercats
wouldeat.
Eleanorsworstfearwashercatsbecomingillanddying,leavingherallalone.However,
inatwistedturnofevents,Eleanorwastheonewholefthercats.Whilelimpingtoworkone
morning,shenoticedsomethingabitoffaboutanoncomingcar.Itmayhavebeenthefactthata
policecarwaschasingit.Thespeedingcarswervedtoavoidabigpotholeontheroadthat
wouldveslowedhimdown,butunfortunately,histirelosttractionandthewholevehicle
flipped.Eleanorwascaughtintheaccidentandlostconsciousness.
Whensheawoke,shenolongerknewwhoshewasorwhyabunchofcatswereinher
room.Shealsofeltitwasabitweirdthatshewasinahospitalroom,sinceshehadnomemory
ofwhathadhappenedbeforeshegotthere.Shebuzzedthenurseandwaitedforthemtoarrive.
Whyareallofthesecatsinmyroom?Eleanorinquired.

Well,theyallshowedupatthedoorrightafteryouwereadmitted.Itwastheweirdest
thingIdeverseen,thenursereplied.
Butwhy?Ihatecats.
Aftertheincident,Eleanorwasacompletelydifferentperson.Itwasasifsomemagical
forcehadreachedintoEleanorsmindandmadeeverysingleoneofhertraitstheoppositeof
whatithadbeen.Shenolongerneededtobeindependent,andwashappytoletaboyfriendor
herpeerschangewhoshewastolikeherbetter.Shewasntsatisfiedwiththesimplejobof
telemarketinganymore,soshestartedatthebottomofthecorporateladderatGoogle.Hercats
nolongerappealedtoher,andthesmellofcatlitterinherhousemadeherwanttothrowup,so
shegotridofallofthem.Instead,sheadoptedtwodogs,BellaandLuna.Insteadofbeingso
cheapastostealfromothers,shebegantoactuallyusehermoney.,becausehShewasthenthe
mostpopularwomaninherapartmentcomplexandinherfamilyersocialawkwardnesshad
suddenlydisappeared.Everythinganybodyhadeverknownabouthertotallychanged,which
mighthavebeenforthebest.Shetrulyhadbeentheweirdestpersonever.