Are You Serious; A Cat Named “Pudding Pie”?

I was trying to remember my most happy childhood memory and was having a hard time thinking that far back. One particular memory kept popping into my mind. My nine year old brother at the time, Michael had just gotten a brand new Honda dirt bike and insisted that I let him take me for a ride. I was twelve and not into mechanicals; more so hair, makeup and clothes. After badgering me for an hour or so, I agreed. Good Lord did he take me for the ride of my life! He took me down a trail that entailed bumps, divots and holes! He was driving WAY too fast and by the time I could shout out “Watch out for that…….HOLE!” Michael and I fell into the hole, the bike flipped and landed right on top of my leg. Its exhaust pipe burned my right calf and my brand new black and white checkered crop pants were ruined. Of course when the engine block starting spurting out oil, it had to shoot its way on over to ME! Luckily, neither one of us got terribly injured (with the exception of a 3X3 burn on my right calf that I still have to this day).

Growing up with Michael was always like that. He needed to be doing something at all times, or he would find something else to do (usually something he’d get in trouble for later). Like the time my mother bought me this gorgeous white canopy bedroom set; it was beautiful. It had a matching mirrored dresser, a tall six drawer dresser and the bed even had six drawers attached to the bottom of the bed. My mother decided around that time that she would also redo my room for me; lilac and deep purple were the colors I chose. My mom would come home after work and wallpaper like crazy! She worked so hard and so feverishly to get that bedroom done and finally after much time, sweat and exhaustion, she did. It was awesome! My mother was so talented when it came to wallpapering and decorating and the way she set up my room was perfect. It was the type of room that you didn’t want to leave because you felt so warm, homey and peaceful in it. I was so proud and grateful for her taking the time. Time for my mom back in 1983 was very precious and hard to come by. She worked seven days a week and worked hard. It was not only manual labor, but the elements surrounding it were grueling. She had to endure the dust and dirt, biting flies and the heat was exhausting. To this day I still believe her job was semi abusive and she did if for thirty years; thirty years too many if you ask me.

So back to my beautiful purple palace my mother so proudly created for me. Oh my how my brother must have been bored that hot summer day. He pretty much had exhausted all avenues of fun. He had already ridden his dirt bike for the majority of the day. Took his pellet gun out for fun, and went down to the local creek looking for turtles, snakes and lizards (Michael is a HUGE animal/reptile fanatic). I’m not sure were I was that day. Maybe with my girlfriend who lived down the road from me, or maybe I was actually there, but watching TV and ignoring him. But one thing is for certain; Michael was restless and on the prowl! I thought it was peculiar when I saw him “sneaking” about the house, giggling and looking at me with those mischievous eyes. “What are you doing Mike?” I asked. “Oh nothing, just looking for something to do” was his reply. My intuitions were running ramped at this point. “Well, why don’t you go outside for a while and ride your bike?” I asked him. “Already did that” was his reply. He then bursted out laughing and ran for the door saying, “Your room looks really nice sis”. I knew it! That little ass did something to my room!

I immediately ran back to my room and sure enough, he’d basically ransacked my room. He took my perfume and smeared it all over my walls and took my lipstick and wrote “Stacy loves Dave” (Dave was a very unattractive kid who rode are bus) on my brand new lavender wallpaper, along with other insane quotes. He’d gone through all of my stuff and even read my diary. I was fuming at this point. I ran out the door trying to catch him. I was going to give him the pounding of a life time, but of course he was too darn fast to catch and had already jumped on his dirt bike, laughing mischievously as he drove away. That’s okay, I thought to myself; he’ll get his. I went back inside and tried to wash the perfume and makeup of my walls to no avail. He had ruined the wallpaper and I was going to kill him! The only solution was to rearrange my big posters of Madonna, Duran Duran and Boy George so they could cover up the disaster he created.

I sat in deep thought, calm and collected. “What can I do to him that would make up for this little stunt? He’s always doing “something” and always getting away with it” Then it hit me! What does Michael love more than anything?? His cat! Oh what a shame for his cat “Pudding Pie” (who names a cat a ridiculous name like that anyway?) to come up missing. I couldn’t harm it because I love animals too, but I could find it a temporary home without him knowing. He would believe it ran away or that someone picked it up or maybe even think it ran off and died. Yes, what a wonderful plot of revenge!

So that’s what I did. I called my best-friend at the time, Shelly and told her what had happened and asked her if there was any way she could come pick up Michaels’ pride and joy and keep him there for a while. She agreed wholeheartedly. “Bye Pudding Pie, hope you like the little vacation you’re about to receive”. Shelly came and took Michaels’ cat and I waited for him to come home. After a couple of hours he finally showed face. Still weary about coming home after the little stunt he pulled; he waited for my mom to get off of work and came back with her. My mom had asked me what he did and when Mike tried to lie and get out of it, she was madder than she originally was. “Do you have any idea how long it took me to do your sister’s room Michael? I have no other choice than to take away all of your privileges.” Wow, Michael lost everything; even his cat!

It wasn’t but an hour and my brother was searching for his cat yelling, “Pudding Pie, come here Pudding Pie!” Searching feverishly for that dang cat; inside, outside, everywhere there was a crevice. I couldn’t take it anymore! Yes, my little brother was a pain in the “you know what”, but I couldn’t stand to see him crying looking for that stupid cat. I called Shelly and asked her to bring back the cat to me, but meet me about two blocks from our house so Michael wouldn’t see. She did so as asked and the cat was back inside the house through the back door within minutes. The look on my brothers’ face when he saw that cat is still burned into my memory today. Yes, my brother was a pain and was a little “naughty”, but he did have a kind side to him as well. But the question is did the cat deserve such a name as Pudding Pie?” To this day I still have no idea why or how my brother came up with such a ridiculous name for a scruffy white ball of fur; but for whatever reason….they definitely deserved each other.

Story ID:	2381
Written by:	Stacy Lynn Stiles (bio, contact, other stories)
Story type:	Family Memories
Location:	Tomah WI USA
Year:	2007
Person:	My Brother Michael