Meowy Reunion

It's Qingming time again and the temple is crowded with humans coming to pay respects to their beloved departed ones.  This annual festival is dedicated to remembering and honouring the deceased and apart from offering food to them, they also visit their tombs and clean them up.  So the "Palace" in our temple had been a hive of activity since the last two weeks.

We of course held daily prayers at the Palace and the air is often filled with smoke from burning jossticks which always makes my eyes smart.

One morning I had stopped near HD and PH 's niche to wipe my eyes.  HD was talking to PH in low tones and I couldn't help but overhear what he said.

"You know, PH," he was saying.  "All our friends here are very lucky, they have their children, grandchildren etc. etc. who come and visit them...." He paused and sighed.  "I don't have anyone.  My Dad died when I was a toddler and left my Mum penniless.  She had no choice but to put me in an orphanage where I grew up.  She visited me a few times, then she stopped coming and I never saw her again."

"Same here," interrupted PH.  "My parents deserted me when young and an uncle grudgingly took me in.  He hated me because I was a burden to him, so in the end, I ran away and got involved with some hoodlums.  That was when I lost my head!"

HD laughed and cried, "That was when we met!  Remember I had fallen off the balcony of my apartment after that fight with my late wife's lover....I'm so glad we met, PH!  You've been such a good friend and companion!" and he gave PH a hug.

All this time, they were unaware that I was standing near their niche and I was rather touched when they hugged each other.

Then HD said rather wistfully, "If only I knew what happened to my Mum...."

PH then saw me and said, "Oh there you are, Vege Cat, can you help HD?"

"Er...help?" I said.  "How?"

"Find his mother for him!" he said.

I must say I am flattered that these two spooks think I am the cat version of Sherlock Holmes or  Superman but sometimes they ask too much.  Do they think I have  nothing to do at the temple?

"Look, guys," I began and before I could continue, a ginger cat appeared from nowhere and ran towards HD.

"Meow, Meow, Meow," she cried non-stop. 

"What does she want?" asked HD, looking down at her. 

"Er ... she's calling someone named "Bum Bum"?" I translated, quite puzzled.

"OMG!" exclaimed HD.  "Did you say "Bum Bum"?  That...that was the nickname my mum gave me when I was small!  But ... but how did this cat know?"

The cat started mewing again.  Meow, Meow, Meow.

"Quick, translate!" yelled an excited HD.

 I couldn't believe what she said.

"HD, she said she's .... she's your mother!"  

There was a stunned silence.  

The cat started talking again.  Meow, Meow, Meow.

"She said after she left you at the orphanage, she struggled hard for a living and some years later, when she returned to the orphanage to get you, they told her you were no longer there.  She died soon after and was  reborn as a cat!"  I translated breathlessly. 

HD's eyes grew big and round with awe as he gazed at the cat. 

"Are you...are you REALLY my mum?" whispered HD, his green face going pale.  (Now I know what they mean when they say someone's face went "as pale as a ghost".)

"Alright, just to further prove who she is," said HD.  "Ask her what was my favourite toy when I was a baby!"

Meow, Meow, Meow.

"A pink feeding bottle with a cat's face?" I translated, trying to stifle a giggle.

"Mum, it's really you!" cried HD and he bent down and scooped the cat into his arms.

HD started weeping, so did PH.  After a while, they finally stopped wailing and HD asked, his voice trembling, "But Mum, how did you know I'm here?"

Meow, Meow, Meow.

"She said she had a dream in which she saw you and PH in this temple. She could recognise you despite your injuries.  It was only then that she realized that you had died and she immediately came here to see you or what's left of you....!"  I translated.  

I couldn't believe all this was happening, it's the first time I've met a human who had reincarnated as a cat and acted as her translator!

"Mum, can't you stay with us for a while?  I'm sure Head Nun wouldn't mind." said HD, looking at me.  

Just then Head Nun came along.

"What's going on here?  Where did that cat come from?" she asked.

I looked at HD who nudged me and muttered, "Tell her." 

Why that clever spook!  He knew Head Nun wouldn't believe him if he told her, so he was making me tell her.  I cleared my throat and said, "Head Nun, you probably won't believe this, but she's HD's (ahem) mother!"

Head Nun looked at the cat, then said, "Well, I'm not surprised.  A dog once appeared in the temple and said he was the father of one of our deceased ladies here in the columbarium."

"Oh! Er - you don't mind if she stays here for a few days?" I asked.

"Only until the end of the festival."  Then she walked away.

Needless to say, HD spent a jubilant few days with his mother before she left for her home with a family of humans who had been desperately searching for her since the day she came to the temple.

I don't know whether Head Nun  believed the story but she was kind enough to let HD's mother share meals with me and gave her a soft cushion to sleep on.  As for HD, he asked his mother to teach him how to "meow". I dread to think what's coming next....