I shouda been a cat

Mr Jim and Miss Lettie lived in a big white house on Mullberry
street. Some folks said they was the richest folks in the country. It
was never real clear how Mr Jim made his money, fact is I never seen
him hit a lick at a snake. He rode around town in a big old Lincoln,
and had a driver named Carl.

Carl was the ugliest man I ever seen he had a great big ear, and a nose
that had been broke so many times it kinda growed over to the right
side of his face almost under his eye. I never heard him say a word,
might be he couldn't talk. I aint real sure bout that.

I don't think Mr Jim and Miss Lettie ever had any kids. if they did
they never come to visit. I never did see another car at their house.
People said they had a maid, a cook, and a man to open up the door in
case anybody did knock on it .

One day after school mama said Mr Jim had died, I think it was his
heart that done him in. Wasn't long after that all the windows had
their curtains closed. Nobody saw no more comings or goings of the
help. I guess they lived in there

That big lincoln was put up in the garage in back, and I never seen it
no more either. Grass growed up and weeds took over the yard. The whole
placed looked dead.

They had to be in there, the mail man kept bringing mail. Sometimes you
could see a face looking out from behind the curtains. They musta had
their supplies brung around back. They had to have food and the
like.

One day iI was riding my bike, and a car passed me up and drove right
up to house. I stopped and watched as a man with a doctors coat on got
out and went in.

Must be Miss Letties sick I thought, and waited there for about half an
hour before the front door opened up again. It was the doctor leaving
real quick like. I went on my way and later that evening mama said,
they took Miss Lettie away today the ambulance came for her.

Well shoot i'm always gone when the good stuff happens. Two days later
they put it out in the paper that Miss Lettie passed away at 85 years
old. Wonder what will happen to the house now?

Pretty soon all kinda folks showed up some with lawn mowers in their
trucks, some had paint and stuff like that. They really give that place
a sprucing up for what we wondered?

The newspaper said Miss Letties will was read today, and all her
property was left to her two cats, they would live out their lives in
that house and be took care of by all them people that took care of her
and Mr Jim for so long. Some big shot lawyer from New York was to pay
them their wages it said.

Now ever once in a while you see Carl bring out the big Lincoln, and
take them cats to the vets, and back home again. what a life. Wish I
wouda been a cat.