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Gasket discovered that at Stocking Opening Time around the Christmas tree, there was something for everyone, cats and dog included. A special stocking was always hung on the mantle and sure enough come morning, it would be filled with treats and toys. At first the children delighted it opening the stocking gifts, but after a time, it became obvious that the cats were not to be denied the pleasure of discovering what Santa had brought.
Typically there would be one or more cans of tuna fish and sardines - as it turned out, the cats really didn't care for these no matter how high they would be piled on their plate (only to be discarded to make way for the more traditional treats from the table.) So it was that as the crinkling of paper continued and toys emerged from the wrap, the cats could not keep away from the activity and would gather about.
One favorite toy that is cheap, and fun to play with is the rubber paddle ball. A tennis racket shaped plywood paddle to which is stapled a length of rubber band and affixed to the rubber band's other end is a rubber ball, not much bigger in diameter than your thumb, makes up the toy. Anyone can play with it, and as one becomes expert can make the ball do some amazing bounces. Of course the action of a ball can't be ignored by a cat and they watched one particular ball as it was bounced harder and harder, until � the ball became unattached from the rubber band. As if planned all along, Gasket sprang into action and as the ball cascaded through the living room and into the hallway, she was in hot pursuit. And, catch it she did.
What happened next was worth retelling. Having caught up with the ball, she grasp it in her mouth and carried it around the room. Then, for some reason known only to her, she took it up the flight of stairs between the first and second floor. On the second floor we could hear her talking to the ball and from time to time would hear her bounding down the hall pursuing the ball and then there would be silence. Followed by her admonishing the ball again before releasing it for another merry chase.
This continued for some time until perhaps by chance, the ball escaped by bouncing back down the stairs into the living room area. In hot pursuit, came Gasket, scratching out a quick turn on the hardwood stair treads as she attempted to catch up with the bounding ball. Of course, the ball had the advantage of gravity and Gasket had the disadvantage of poor traction but catch up with it she did.
Now with the ball finally in her possession, she picked it up, not unlike a mother cat picks up a kitten, and returned to the second floor. But this time, rather than chasing the ball down the hall, she instead released it back down the stairs and came in a rush after it. Again it was captured and again she returned to the second floor, but all then was silent. What had happened to the ball? Had she lost it? Perhaps it was under some piece of furniture? Or maybe she had grown tired of the game?
From the back of the house where the stairs go from the second to the third floor, came a crash! She had taken her ball to the third floor and released it down the straight flight of stairs between the two floors. While the front stirs had a landing half way down, the back stairs did not. So when she released her ball on the third floor, it had a straight run down the stairs as did she. But, at the base of the stairs, there stands a wall and a sharp right hand turn. Poor Gasket's ball made the turn in good fashion, but she did not and that was the crash as all ten pounds or so of animated cat reached the turn.
Again silence. Then we heard her admonishing the ball for having played a trick on her. She spoke at some length to it. And, then she released it down the front stairs to continue the game.
Finally, Gasket lost the ball and so the game was over. The house returned to a semblance of normalcy and with the passing of the season, the stockings and tree trimmings were put away for another year. However, as luck would have it, Gasket's ball was found so it was packed with the other treasures, to await the next Christmas time.
Perhaps this would have gone unwritten and forgotten except the following Christmas as stockings and gifts were unwrapped, there in the cat's stocking was Gasket's rubber ball. It was rolled across the floor and while the other cats just watched, Gasket pounced upon it and quick as a wink, was off to the second floor with it. Soon we heard her in active conversation with the ball, you can use your imagination as to what must have been said, but in short order, the ball was released from captivity and came bouncing down the stairs - Gasket in pursuit. It was Gasket's Ball!
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