pped at me； and then we would have gotten into it。 Like two guys living with the same pretty girl； almost。 Ménage à trois is what they call it in the Penthouse 〃Forum〃。 Both of us love her and she loves both of us； but as time goes by； I start realizing that the scales are tipping and she's starting to love Frank a little more than me。 Maybe because Frank never talks back and never pukes in her slippers and with Frank the goddam toilet ring is never an issue； because he goes outside。 Unless； that is； I forget and leave a pair of my shorts in the corner or under the bed。'
At this point L。T。 would likely finish off the iced coffee in his Thermos； crack his knuckles； or both。 It was his way of saying the first act was over and Act Two was about to mence。
'So then one day； a Saturday； Lulu and I are out to the mall。 Just walking around； like people do。 You know。 And we go by Pet Notions； up by J。C。 Penney； and there's a whole crowd of people in front of the display window。 〃Oh； let's see；〃 Lulu says； so we go over and work our way to the front。
'It's a fake tree with bare branches and fake grass…AstroTurf…all around it。 And there are these Siamese kittens； half a dozen of them chasing each other around； climbing the tree； batting each other's ears。
' 〃Oh ain' dey jus' da key…youtes ones！〃 Lulu says。 〃Oh ain't dey jus' the key…youtest wittle babies！ Look； honey； look！〃
' 〃I'm lookin'；〃 I says； and what I'm thinking is that I just found what I wanted to get Lulu for our anniversary。 And that was a relief。 I wanted it to be something extra special； something that would really bowl her over； because things had been quite a bit short of great between us during the last year。 I thought about Frank； but I wasn't too worried about him； cats and dogs always fight in the cartoons； but in real life they usually get along； that's been my experience。 They usually get along better than people do。 Especially when it's cold outside。
'To make a long story just a little bit shorter； I bought one of them and gave it to her on our anniversary。 Got it a velvet collar； and tucked a little card under it。 〃HELLO； I am LUCY！〃 the card said。 〃I e with love from L。T。！ Happy second anniversary！〃
'You probably know what I'm going to tell you now； don't you？ Sure。 It was just like goddarn Frank the terrier all over again； only in reverse。 At first I was as happy as a pig in shit with Frank； and Lulubelle was as happy as a pig in shit with Lucy at first。 Held her up over her head； talking that baby…talk to her； 〃Oh yookit you； oh yookit my wittle pwecious； she so key…yout；〃 and so on and so on 。 。 。 until Lucy let out a yowl and batted at the end of Lulubelle's nose。 With her claws out； too。 Then she ran away and hid under the kitchen table。 Lulu laughed it off； like it was the funniest thing she'd ever had happen to her； and as key…yout as anything else a little kitten might do； but I could see she was miffed。
'Right then Frank came in。 He'd been sleeping up in our room…at the foot of her side of the bed…but Lulu'd let out a little shriek when the kitten batted her nose； so he came down to see what the fuss was about。
'He spotted Lucy under the table right away and walked toward heir； sniffing the linoleum where she'd been。
' 〃Stop them； honey； stop them； L。T。； they're going to get into it；〃 Lulubelle says。 〃Frank'll kill her。〃
' 〃Just let them alone a minute；〃 I says。 〃See what happens。〃
Lucy humped up her back the way cats do； but stood her ground and watched him e。 Lulu started forward； wanting to get in between them in spite of what I'd said （listening up wasn't exactly one of Lulu's strong points）； but I took her wrist and held her back。 It's best to let them work it out between them； if you can。 Always best。 It's quicker。
'Well； Frank got to the edge of the table； poked his nose under； and started this low rumbling way back in his throat。 〃Let me go； L。T。 I got to get her；〃 Lulubelle says； 〃Frank's growling at her。〃
' 〃No； he's not；〃 I say； 〃he's just purring。 I recognize it from all the times he's purred at me。〃
'She gave me a look that would just about have boiled water； but didn't say anything。 The only times in the three years we were married that I got the last word； it was always about Frank and Screwlucy。 Strange but true。 Any other subject； Lulu could talk rings around me。 But when it came to the pets； it seemed she was always fresh out of ebacks。 Used to drive her crazy。
'Frank poked his head under the table a little farther； and Lucy batted his nose the way she'd batted Lulubelle's…only when she batted Frank； she did it without popping her claws。 I had an idea Frank would go for her； but he didn't。 He just kind of whoofed and turned away。 Not scared； more like he's thinking； 〃Oh； okay； so that's what that's about。〃 Went back into the living room and laid down in front of the TV。
'And that was all the confrontation there ever was between them。 They divvied up the territory pretty much the way that Lulu and I divvied it up that last year we spent together； when things were getting bad； the bedroom belonged to Frank and Lulu； the kitchen belonged to me and Lucy…only by Christmas； Lulubelle was calling her Screwlucy…and the living room was neutral territory。 The four of us spent a lot of evenings there that last year； Screwlucy on my lap； Frank with his muzzle on Lulu's shoe； us humans on the couch； Lulubelle reading a book and me watching Wheel of Fortune or Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous； which Lulubelle always called Lifestyles of the Rich and Topless。
'The cat wouldn't have a thing to do with her； not from day one。 Frank； every now and then you could get the idea Frank was at least trying to get along with me。 His nature would always get the better of him in the end and he'd chew up one of my sneakers or take another leak on my underwear； but every now and then it did seem like he was putting forth an effort。 Lap my hand； maybe give me a grin。 Usually if I had a plate of something he wanted a bite of； though。
'Cats are different； though。 A cat won't curry favor even if it's in their best interests to do so。 A cat can't be a hypocrite。 If more preachers were like cats； this would be a religious country again。 If a cat likes you； you know。 If she doesn't； you know that； too。 Screwlucy never liked Lulu； not one whit； and she made it clear from the start。 If I was getting ready to feed her； Lucy'd rub around my legs； purring； while I spooned it up and dumped it in her dish。 If Lulu fed her； Lucy'd sit all the way across the kitchen； in front of the fridge； watching her。 And wouldn't go to the dish until Lulu had cleared off。 It drove Lulu crazy。 〃That cat thinks she's the Queen of Sheba；〃 she'd say。 By then she'd given up the baby…talk。 Given up picking Lucy up； too。 If she did； she'd get her wrist scratched； more often than not。
'Now； I tried to pretend I liked Frank and Lulu tried to pretend she liked Lucy； but Lulu gave up pretending a lot sooner than I did。 I guess maybe neither one of them； the cat or the woman； could stand being a hypocrite。 I don't think Lucy was the only reason Lulu left…hell； I know it wasn't…but I'm sure Lucy helped Lulubelle make her final decision。 Pets can live a long time； you know。 So the present I got her for our second was really the straw that broke the camel's back。 Tell that to 〃Dear Abby〃！
'The cat's talking was maybe the worst； as far as Lulu was concerned。 She couldn't stand it。 One night Lulubelle says to me； 〃If that cat doesn't stop yowling； L。T。； I think I'm going to hit it with an encyclopedia。〃
' 〃That's not yowling；〃 I said； 〃that's chatting。〃
' 〃Well；〃 Lulu says； 〃I wish it would stop chatting。〃
'And right about then； Lucy jumped up into my lap and she did shut up。 She always did； except for a little low purring； way back in her throat。 Purring that really was purring。 I scratched her between her ears like she likes； and I happened to look up。 Lulu turned her eyes back down on her book； but before she did； what I saw was real hate。 Not for me。 For Screwlucy。 Throw an encyclopedia at it？ She looked like she'd like to stick the cat between two encyclopedias and just kind of clap it to death。
Sometimes Lulu would e into the kitchen and catch the cat up on the table and swat it off。 I asked her once if she'd ever seen me swat Frank off the bed that way…he'd get up on it； you know； always on her side； and leave these nasty tangles of white hair。 When I said that； Lulu gave me a kind of grin。 Her teeth were showing； anyway。 〃If you ever tried； you'd find yourself a finger or three shy； most likely；〃 she says。
'Sometimes Lucy really was Screwlucy。 Cats are moody； and sometimes they get manic； anyone who's ever had one will tell you that。 Their eyes get big and kind of glary； their tails bush out； they go racing around the house； sometimes they'll rear right up on their back legs and prance； boxing at the air； like they're fighting with something they can see but human beings can't。 Lucy got into a mood like that one night when she was about a year old…couldn't have been more than three weeks from the day when I e home and found Lulubelle gone。
'Anyway； Lucy came pelting in from the