Did You Feel the Earth Move

Oh have I had a turn today?

You know what it's like when the unexpected comes and bites you on the bottom - well it bit me with all fangs deep on my little bottom.

I was taking the airs this morning. I do like to stroll along the fence tops and have a look in the neighbours' gardens. I know the two legs are always on at me to tell them what I see but I am a cat that respects confidences and what goes on in other gardens stays in other gardens. Except for today. My little heart is still pounding away.

I was looking into the new garden some new two legs have made since they moved in and in the corner has been a box with some sacking over it. Max said I should go and investigate one night but after my escapade with Percy and his wife I am less inclined for nocturnal adventures of late.

This morning the box was there and the side was open and all the sacking had been taken off. Well I thought it won't do any harm to pop down and have a look. See what was inside. Then I could wait my moment and tell Max and he would think me a hero again.

I jumped down and made a quick reccie of the area. It looked like the two legs were out. Their car was off the drive and there was no sign of life. I edged nearer the box and smelled that smell of stale green that comes up every so often. I began to think I had made a mistake coming to look. It's strange but other gardens always seem so much more intimidating and you expect something to leap out from every corner. It remained quiet and nothing pounced on me. Eerie.

I moved closer to the box and looked inside. Nothing. What a let down! Just a mouldering old lettuce leaf and loads of straw. I was sorely unimpressed. Then I noticed a couple of rocks by the edge of the grass. They were different from rocks I had seen before - they had this pattern on them. Quite a pretty pattern actually. I thought I would go and see if they were heavy and if not I would take one home with me as a souvenir.

I got up to it and was about to nudge it to test weight when it moved. No I am not imagining it - it moved. I leapt in the air like a gazelle. Then this wizened old head came out of the rock and said.

"What do you want?"

I tell you I was so scared I could have run a mile if my legs had been working.

"I,,, Errr.... Nothing Mr Rock"

"Mr Rock? What's got into you. Terry look at this twerp here."

The other rock moved and a similar wizened head appeared and turned a tiny pair of beady eyes in my direction. "Has it just woken up too?" rock two asked rock one.

"I think it's still asleep. It can't talk. It can't move and it has less brain power than those ants we had for breakfast" asserted rock one.

"I've never met talking rocks before. Am I dreaming? Am I hallucinating on the cheese I had for breakfast?"

"We are tortoises and have just come out of hibernation. We sleep all winter to miss the cold weather. You must be from over the fence."

"Yes I'm Casper and I'm two"

"We're Terry and Tommy and we are 107 years old. Let us get on with our foraging please."

I bade them farewell and went home. Talking rocks and so old I guess that's what two legs call old fossils.