RATS, CATS AND FLOWER-POTS

I am sitting with a group of women around a large table and we are all involved with some kind of sewing or knitting projects.  Someone is speaking about making a gown, and I turn to the lady next to and with a wink, because it obviously means something special to us both, I say, "I'll just bet it's going to weigh 387 pounds too, won't it?"  I wink at her, we all laugh and continue our handwork.  There was something very specific about that number.

Now I am in my apartment, but it's a diffferent place.  I notice that there are more windows, which are all at street level, and there is a sense that it's not the best part of town.  People pass by and have no problem looking into my space.  I tell myself that I need to hang up some heavy curtains on them, but for now I am busy talking with my granddaughter as we both sit on the couch.  I tell her that I am happy there are no more mice in this place, but the next instance proves me wrong.  From under the couch, crawls out a large gray rat, followed by a brown one.  There is a sense that these two rats are very buddy-buddy, because of the antics as they chase and tumble around each other, eventually disappearing into a crack in the wall.  Both Abby and I shudder at seeing them, and are anow afraid to walk around.

As we're getting over this, some other friends walk in (they're very indistinct), and I tell them of the rats.  I say that I'm going to speak to the superintendent about it immediately so that she can set up traps.  Suddenly, from the back of the couch we hear suspicious noises, and someone moves the couch away from the wall.  The first thing that falls over is a rather large flower-pot with a variety of plants in it.  I am astonished, because I have never seen that pot or the plants before.  I am further surprised to see how healthy and large they all are, and remark that they had no attention or watering at all.  

Something moves from behind the pot - a tiny black and white kitten suddenly leaps out, all claws and teeth and huge saucer eyes, onto someone's shoulder.  We all coo and ahh over it as it continues its attack, which soon turns into loving play, and within minutes another little kitten, this one being gray and beige, does the same thing.  I wonder where they came from, amazed to see such a managerie in my home, when someone suggests that before I moved in, there was a mother cat here.  Perhaps she came back to birth them here because she was so secure here?  

I do not know what to say for a moment, because I am very overwhelmed by the onslaught of these animals.  I fight the urge to flee.  Instead I say, "The rats will be trapped, I'm keeping the plant, and whoever wants the kittens, please take them.  In the meanwhile, let's have some tea!"