“Stop being weird, Claire,” Ethel said.
“I’m not being weird,” Claire said, from inside the bin. “I’m being loud.”
To prove her point, she kicked the metal bin as hard as she could while standing inside it, causing it to gong like a bell.
“You can be two things at once, you know?” Tina said, quietly and seriously.
“You can’t,” Claire said.
“You can,” Ethel said. “And you are.”
“Don’t be stupid. I’m not weird at all,” Claire said. “Daniel’s weird.”
“Daniel’s not weird he’s whimsical,” Tina said.
“Bringing the cat to the shops isn’t whimsical, it’s weird,” Claire said. “Really weird.”
“She wanted to see where cat biscuits came from,” Daniel said. “And now she knows.”
The cat meowed to let everyone know she did know now and everyone crouched down to stroke her except Claire, who began kicking the inside of the bin again until she had everyone’s attention.
“Daniel’s weird, I’m loud, Tina’s, urgh, thoughtful, and Ethel’s contrary,” Claire said.
“I’m not contrary!”
“You are!” Claire declared, banging the bin lid against the side of the bin to finalise the pronouncement. “And that’s that!”
“What about Mum?” Tina asked.
“Mum’s exasperated,” Agnes said, emerging from the shop with several carrier bags full of spilt cat biscuits. “And Daniel, if that cat ever wants to know where fish come from, don’t you dare take her to the pet shop, okay?”
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Notes:
1. Written on April 25th, 2023
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