I felt like someone had just punched me in the stomach. I had, without really realizing it, grown quite fond of Mrs. Peele. I would miss her a lot. Tears suddenly started running down my cheeks, and I began sobbing. I didn't know exactly why.
About a half an hour later, there was a rapid knock on my door. It was the manager. He was a very short man, under five feet tall. He probably weighed over two hundred and fifty pounds. He was the perfect manager. His name was Johnny, and I called him "Johnny on the spot", although he preferred for everyone to call him "Froggy". He was one of those always busy, always on the run, always out of breath, red faced people, who you wondered how they could possibly stay over weight. Because he was so short, and his neck was so fat, he had an almost revolting way of cocking his head at an extremely weird angle to look up at me, without bending his squat body. He had startling green eyes that were interesting to look at, even though they bulged out quite a bit.
"It's a good little cat. Her name is Puddy Doo." He said, short of breath. Standing there with a tiny black kitten in crook of his arm. "Oh no". I said. Horrified. He continued. "It was Mrs. Peele's cat. I brought all of the toys, cat food, and litter box." He said, holding them up with his other arm so I could see. "Well, I was sort of thinking about getting a dog." I said weakly. "I just can't have a kitten right now, I'm not ready for that kind of responsibility! I Pleaded. "I'm afraid I would sit on it or something, maybe accidently flush it down the toilet even. I know nothing of kittens. My gold fish died a horrible death, and all of my house plants are a sickly brown. He handed me the kitten. "Oh no...." I said. "Oh no...."
She was a healthy little thing. A bit plump, but as cute as could be. She had a white diamond on her chest, and she purred loudly as she nestled on my arm. "What is her name again?" I asked, a bit dazed. "Puddy Doo?" "Hmmmm. That won't do at all." I said absently, not realizing that Froggy had already hurried off.
I was laying on my recliner with Puddy Doo sitting on my chest. "What a funny name you have Puddy Do." I said in baby talk. "Yes you do, yes you do." It was then that she suddenly sat up, taking my hand between her little kitty paws, and held it to her cheek......My God! It was Mrs. Peele!
The next time I heard from Kronos, was several weeks later. He summoned me, expecting me to manifest myself into the void next to him. I found it virtually impossible, this time, to make the jump to the void. The harder I tried, the worse it got. Finally, I gave up in frustration. Kronos had to help me. "Sorry Kronos. I guess no gold star this time." I said, very disappointed in myself.
Kronos was sometimes as enthusiastically optimistic as a child. I thought. He just doesn't understand how difficult this all is for me. He just doesn't seem to get it. OK Curtis, now that you have swum the deepest ocean, pull the seaweed out of your hair, and climb the highest mountain. I thought sarcastically. "Don't give it a second thought Curtis. It is all part of the game. One step forward and nine backwards." He laughed. Sensing that I was too discouraged to pay attention, he, without effort, imbued me with his bliss. I instantly felt wonderful!
Did you get a chance to look over the "Big Bang Theory"? Knowing that I had. "Yes, I replied, wondering what I had been so upset about. "I have become quite an expert on the subject." Kronos looked at me, his eyes twinkling. "Before we are done with our lesson today, please remind me to give you a few pointers on how to move more easily to the void, and any other colored universe, for that matter.
It is good for you to go through this. Remember that your students will be having the same kind of problems." I was aware that Kronos never forgot anything, and that if I didn't remind him, he wouldn't say anything about it. Knowing this, I vowed that no matter what else I might learn or accomplish that day, I would remember to remind him!
"Before we get into the "Big Bang Theory", I want to mention a very important part of the vibrational process, because it, in one fell swoop, doubles the number of universes we have to work with." He said proudly. "Great! Twelve more." I groaned. "I can hardly keep track of the ones we have now." I whimpered. Kronos had to be, conservatively speaking, at least a million times smarter than me, because I would never have even guessed that there were twelve more universes, let alone gain the knowledge of how to access them!
I was constantly forgetting what a god like creature Kronos really was. Part of this was that he preferred it that way. The other part was that I couldn't begin to fathom just how ingeniously resourceful he actually was. I suppose I should have shown him more reverence, but it would have just embarrassed him.
"That's enough for today, I want you to be fresh for our next lesson tomorrow." He said. I suddenly could clearly see that he was just a child, albeit a very ancient child by earths standards, but just a child none the less. As I was wondering how this paradox could exist, I found myself back on my recliner, with "Mrs. Peele" purring and looking at me lovingly with half closed eyes.
"Damn!" I said out loud. "I forgot to remind him!"