Halloween Preparations

Purring Midnight Joy sat on a dining room chair, as Prudence spread the Sunday paper across the table. Next Prudence opened a new roll of wax paper and spread it on top of the newspaper. Then she picked up the huge pumpkin that was sitting on another chair and placed it on the table.

What, the cat thought as Prudence removed a set of carving knives from the china closet, is this witch of mine doing?

"I'm carving Jack O' Lantern a head," Prudence smiled as she scratched Midnight Joy's ears. "Halloween is two days away and he needs a new head."

"I know that!" The familiar meowed, "why can't you just wiggle your nose or your ears or however it is that you activate your magic and carve his head that way?"

"Because," she glared at the obviously irritated familiar, "tradition requires that I do it manually."

"Prudence, you can't slice a cherry pie without cutting your finger." The cat jumped down off the chair, "I'm not going to sit here and watch you cut your hand off." She walked to the sliding patio door and pawed it open. "There's a new Black Widow spider living in the backyard. I'm going to see if she will help me frighten those horrid Trick or Treaters on Halloween night."

"What if I need to call an ambulance, Midnight?"

"The emergency number is on your cell phone's speed dial," Midnight turned up her nose and swished her tail. "You only need one hand to dial the phone, at least when you're riding your broom."