MR. CAPERS

               Why are we taking Mr. Capers to the doctor?

            Well, when kitties are sick and it gets too expensive for mommies and daddies to pay for them, the doctor puts them down.

            What’s “puts them down” mean?

            That just means the doctor puts Mr. Capers to sleep.

            Oh, that sounds nice.

            It is nice, hon’.  It really is.

            How long will Mr. Capers be asleep?

            Well . . . forever.

            Forever?

            That’s right.  Think about how great that would be, sweetheart.  No more school, no more homework . . .

            No more Byron Danvers beating me up.

            Uh-huh.  You’d sleep and sleep and sleep.

            Aw, man!  That sounds great!

            Oh, it is great.

            Can you ask the doctor to put me to sleep, too?

            I don’t know, hon’.

            Please!  Please, please, please, pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeease!

            Alright.  We’ll ask him, but Mr. Capers goes first.  And if the doctor’s got enough sleep juice.  Then we’ll see.

            I love you, mommy.

            Yes, you do.

-SLL