Melody and the two Yogis

The green apparently, according to Rosa, is because of St Patrick’s Day

It was another beautiful early morning in Shangri-La. Rosa was outside this time on the deck sitting on her father’s lounge chair, looking out over the Atlantic Ocean desperately wondering why she couldn’t see Africa.

The sun was out and even though it was just above the horizon, its warmth could be felt and the cloudless sky bode well for the upcoming day. As usual, Rosa’s aunt Elizabeth, was out on the sand stretching her wings as far as they would go with her legs folded beneath her body in a most awkward manner.

The sliding door opened but Rosa didn’t look up to see who it was, she knew it was her mother.

“What are you doing Rosa dear?” asked Sybil trying to shade her eyes with one of her wings. “Sitting here watching Aunt Elizabeth, mummy,” she replied.

“No Rosa. What I meant is what are you eating?”

“An apple,” replied Rosa casually.

“Who cut it up for you?”

“Julia did, mummy,” replied Rosa not taking her eyes off her aunt, who the last time she was out there was attacked by a bunch of hooligan seagulls.

“I see,” replied her mother finally allowing Rosa’s answer to her question to sink in. She turned towards Rosa, “an apple?” she demanded, “where did you get that from?”

“Melody,” replied a calm Rosa wondering why it had taken her mother so long to resort to her usually self.

“Melody?” echoed Sybil, “how did Melody get an apple?”

“Ask her, mummy,” which Sybil was about to do, when somebody doing yoga with Elizabeth caught her attention.

“Who’s that?” she asked, not quite sure which question she asked was most pressing.

“Pawo,” replied Rosa still calmly eating her apple.

“Why is he there?” she wondered.

“Well, he’s a Buddhist bird, isn’t he.”

“Yes, he is and Rosa I know he’s a bird, so you don’t have to included that. It’s like saying seagull birds. Everyone knows they are birds, so the last part is superfluous.”

No, Rosa knew better. she was not going to ask the meaning of the word super whatever because from past experience, her mother would tell Elizabeth and it would become her word of the day. No, she didn’t need that.

“Well mummy, didn’t Buddhists come up with yoga?” Sybil looked at her daughter as if she had ten heads.

“No darling daughter. I think the Hindus did. Ask your bestest friend and by the way, why haven’t we all got together. We have talked about it, but it hasn’t happened.”

“I think daddy suggested we wait until the weather became nicer and then we could have a barbecue.”

“Great idea!”

“But mummy, after the seagulls attacked Aunty Elizabeth,” oh how it pained Rosa to call Elizabeth ‘aunty’ because it sounded so personal, whereas aunt sounded more like ant and considering Rosa did not care for her much, it was better. “Well, Pawo heard about the seagull attack and offered to do yoga with her.”

“Good idea,” replied Sybil turning to walk back in but stopped. “Oh, I forgot to ask Melody where she got the apple from. Do you know here she is?”

“Having a cat nap under the nest mummy.” Rosa thought she had been very clever and was about to laugh until she saw the look of scorn on her mother’s face.

“Melody, Melody,” sang Sybil which was one thing that annoyed Melody, who told Sybil she shouldn’t try to sing because it was ear piercing, but Sybil didn’t care.

Melody poked her head up by the railing, “yes Sybil,” she meowed.

Sybil hated the meow but knew she had done it in response to her singing Melody’s name. “Rosa is eating an apple. Where did you get it from?”

Melody stretched, shook her body to get rid of some of the sand and continued. “It’s like this. Yesterday I went for a walk to see if I could find something to eat and there in the distance by the river, I saw the humans who had discarded me. So, I silently walked up to their truck, while they were busy smoking and fishing, jumped into the back of the truck and found they had left a big plastic box open with food in it. So, I sat there and ate everything I could and then dragged a bag of apples back here.”

Melody was very proud of her actions and began to glow. Sybil was very proud of her as well but was hesitant in applauding her behaviour. “Where are the rest of the apples.”

“In the kitchen mummy,” replied Rosa, “Julia is going to bake an apple pie with the rest.”

“Are you done with me, Sybil?” Melody placed all the emphasis she could on the last word. “Because if you are, I want to go back to sleep.”

“She’s so lazy,” Sybil whispered to Rosa as Melody disappeared from view and laid back down in the sand, quietly planning how she would come to the aid of not one bird but two.

“I heard that Sybil,” Melody groaned and then sneezed.

“Bless you!” shouted Rosa, while Sybil turned and went back inside. “That was a good apple,” Rosa said once her little bowl was finished. “You have to get some more soon.”

“I’m not sure about that,” replied Melody opening one eye to make sure the two yogis were still alive, “because I’m sure next time they’re down here they’ll probably guard their food with one of those red necks with a gun.”

“Oh, then don’t,” replied a slightly concerned Rosa, “because I don’t want you shot.”

Melody smiled to herself and began to purr, something that invariably put her to sleep. “Well bye for now,” Rosa jumped off her father’s lounge chair. “I’ve got to go to school. So, I’ll see you later.” Melody was fast asleep.

The two yogis had finished their routine and were busy discussing some advanced yoga stretches which Pawo explained to an enthusiastic Elizabeth. There was a squawk above them, and they both looked up to see a seagull who apparently hadn’t got the message, shape itself into a rocket and begin its descent aiming for the two yogis. Elizabeth screamed. Melody awoke and before anyone knew what happened, half a seagull floated down to earth while the other half slammed into the sand. Both Pawo and Elizabeth stood with their mouths open in awe of Melody.

“How did you do that?” asked a stunned Pawo, “I’ve never seen a move like that before.” “Have you ever seen Karate Kid?” asked Melody.

“No,” the other two replied in unison.

“You should sometime, except they were Japanese. We Siamese have our own version and it’s filled with spirituality. It’s like Thai boxing on steroids!” And with that, Melody shook her fur to rid herself of the loose sand. “I think I’m going for a swim. I haven’t had a bath in ages.”

“Cats swim?” asked Elizabeth who by now had regained her posture.

“Yes of course we do. Just like lions and tigers. We are, after all, the same species.” Pawo and Elizabeth looked at each other and then at Melody who strolled down to the water’s edge and let out a loud meow as she jumped into the first wave to wash over her. She reappeared seconds later and walked back to the nest. Nobody said a word.

“Tomorrow?” asked Pawo.

“Tomorrow,” replied Elizabeth walking past Melody on her way to her nest to get ready for work.