The Cat Lady's house smelled even worse today.
"I knew this day was coming!" she said as she pulled me inside. "I've been waiting for this day. Help me, Iris! Help me push this bureau in front of the door!" She leaned her weight against it. A black cat jumped off and ran into the bedroom.
"Stop, please! You'll hurt yourself!" I begged. There were cats everywhere. My insides, which had quieted down when Will started to help, were all in knots again.
She kept pushing. "I will not be afraid, though they have set themselves against me. Save me, my God, for thou hast smitten mine enemies upon the cheekbone. Thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.' " Her face got redder and redder, but the bureau was not moving. "Iris! Come over here and push!"
I was scared she'd give herself a heart attack. "This isn't what we should be doing," I said. "Please, we need to make a plan --"
" 'The foolish shall not stand in thy sight. Thou hatest all workers of iniquity. Thou shalt destroy landlords and those that speak of leasing!' Pray with me, Iris! We can't let them take my babies!"
I didn't know any prayers. Nobody in my family prayed except my grandmas, and one of them prayed in Hebrew.
"Pray, Iris!" She was puffing and panting. "Push and pray!"
It wasn't a prayer, but it was all I could think of: "In the world of business, timidity avails nothing, nor sluggishness, nor lack of purpose . . .Oooof!" I leaned my full weight against the chest and pushed. It didn't budge. "We can't keep them out," I told her. "It's their building. If they want to come in,they'll get in."
Just Ask Iris, copyright 2001
"I knew this day was coming!" she said as she pulled me inside. "I've been waiting for this day. Help me, Iris! Help me push this bureau in front of the door!" She leaned her weight against it. A black cat jumped off and ran into the bedroom.
"Stop, please! You'll hurt yourself!" I begged. There were cats everywhere. My insides, which had quieted down when Will started to help, were all in knots again.
She kept pushing. "I will not be afraid, though they have set themselves against me. Save me, my God, for thou hast smitten mine enemies upon the cheekbone. Thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.' " Her face got redder and redder, but the bureau was not moving. "Iris! Come over here and push!"
I was scared she'd give herself a heart attack. "This isn't what we should be doing," I said. "Please, we need to make a plan --"
" 'The foolish shall not stand in thy sight. Thou hatest all workers of iniquity. Thou shalt destroy landlords and those that speak of leasing!' Pray with me, Iris! We can't let them take my babies!"
I didn't know any prayers. Nobody in my family prayed except my grandmas, and one of them prayed in Hebrew.
"Pray, Iris!" She was puffing and panting. "Push and pray!"
It wasn't a prayer, but it was all I could think of: "In the world of business, timidity avails nothing, nor sluggishness, nor lack of purpose . . .Oooof!" I leaned my full weight against the chest and pushed. It didn't budge. "We can't keep them out," I told her. "It's their building. If they want to come in,they'll get in."
Just Ask Iris, copyright 2001
A Richard Jackson Book/Atheneum Books for Young Readers/ Simon & Schuster
