I hadn't seen Ning for some time and when I enquired from Ah Hoe, he said that Ning had been going to the club the last few nights and returning home late and very drunk. I was dismayed to hear that and became very worried for him. I decided to pay him a visit one morning but he was not at Ah Hoe's place. I later found him sitting by the river staring into its murky waters.
He didn't answer me but kept staring straight ahead.
"Is there anything wrong, Ning? You can tell me...."
At last he let out a sigh, then said, his voice trembling with emotion. "I visited Shabina last week. She was lying there with her kittens around her, then she said, 'Ning, if anything happens to me, promise me you'll see that my kittens have a good home'. I said why are you talking like this, what makes you think something is going to happen to you? Are you ill? She didn't answer me. I had this feeling that all was not well with her and for some reason, she's not telling anyone."
Ning then turned to look at me and I was surprised to see that tears were welling in his eyes.
"She died two days ago," he whispered.
"Oh no," I gasped. Even though I didn't know Shabina well, I was saddened by the news.
"They buried her under the tree in the garden beside Larry," said Ning, his voice hardly above a whisper.
Now I knew why Ning had been going to the club and getting himself drunk. He was very fond of Shabina and looked upon her as a younger sister. Her death was hard for him to take and he was trying to drown his sorrow in liqueur.
I didn't know what I could say to comfort him, so I just hugged him and we both sat together for some time in silence.
Later Ning said that Ms. Oh had adopted one of the kittens and had given the other two to her friends, both of whom are cat lovers. Shabina's sudden death was also a great shock to Ms. Oh and everyone in her house as they didn't have any idea that she was not well. She never uttered a word if she felt ill, she simply poured her love on her kittens every day until the last.
"You need not worry about the kittens, Ning, they've all got good homes now. Look, why don't you come back with me to the temple for lunch? You look like you haven't eaten for days."
Ning said he was not hungry and that he wanted to be alone, so I left him there and returned to the temple. All I could do for now was to pray for him as it looked like he was not going to stop drinking for some time. Many cats had been killed on the road recently and I didn't want Ning in his drunken state to be run over by a motorist.
Ning continues this part of the story.....
After Da left, I sat on for a while. I know Da doesn't approve of my drinking but I need some company and Ling at the club is the best one to talk to. She had known Shab for some time and was very sorry over her death. The club that evening was almost empty except for a couple of old tom cats, so she had time to sit and chat with me. I was up to my fifth glass of whiskey when she said, "Ok, Ning, I think you've had enough. You've been here for the past few nights, it's time you go home."
I didn't want to leave but she threw me out. "I'll never forgive you for this," I yelled as I stumbled out into the street. She laughed and closed the door behind her.
I staggered along the street, winding my way around rubbish bins, lamp posts and potted plants. I didn't want to go home, I just wanted to be out there under the sky and stars. Then I had this strange feeling that someone was following me. I turned round to look but couldn't see anyone. I walked on and this time I could hear soft footsteps behind me. I quickly rounded a corner and hid there, waiting to grab whoever was following me.
Sure enough, whoever it was came stealthily round the corner. In the dark shadows, I could see it was a cat. I pounced on him and after a struggle, I managed to pin him down. "Ok you jerk, why the bloody hell are you following me?" I snarled at him.
"For goodness sake, Ning, it's me," he said and in the headlights of a passing car, I saw it was ..... Da!
I let him go immediately and he sat up, shaken. "What on earth are you doing here at this hour?" I asked, surprised.
He looked a little sheepish, then said, "I know you had been drinking a lot and I wanted to make sure you're okay ...."
"What?" I was furious at what he had just said. "Look, I can take care of myself, drunk or otherwise! I'm not some two year old kitty and I certainly don't need a babysitter! You'd better go back to the temple before Head Nun finds you missing!"
He nodded quietly, then slowly walked away. Then I realized that perhaps I had been too harsh on him, after all he was only concerned for my safety. I ran after him, hugged him and said, "Thanks, Da".
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