Chapter 1.
It was a stormy night. The leaves on the trees were making a shushing sound outside. Raindrops hit the windows and scattered down the glass. Lightning lit up the sky and thunder rumbled in the distance.

Thankfully, there was a fire cracking in the fireplace and all of us, even Princess Messy, were tucked in to various pillows and blankets in Palmetto Mansion's cozy living room.
“Tell us a story, Herbie,” said Tux. “One of those fables.”
As a therapy cat, Herbie often participated in “Read to Me” events where children read books to him at the library. A pretty easy gig if you ask me. He just has to sit there and be petted. But he also got to know lots of stories that he could then tell to us.
“All right,” said Herbie, stretching and then settling back in on the pillow. “I’ll tell you one called the Ant and the Grasshopper.”
“I was hoping it would be about cats,” said Tux.

Chapter 2.
“One chilly day in late autumn, a family of ants was busy carrying grain into their home underground,” Herbie began. “They had worked all summer to collect the grain, and now they had enough to last them through the winter.”
“What is grain?” asked Tux.
“Something from a plant. Ants eat it.”
“It doesn’t sound very good,” said Tux.
“A grasshopper with a fiddle came upon the ants,” continued Herbie.
“With a what?” asked Tux.
“A fiddle. You know, a violin.”
“Grasshoppers play the violin?” asked Tux.
“They do in this story. Now just listen,” said Herbie with a stern look. “Having no food, the grasshopper was starving. He humbly asked for a bite to eat.”
“Good thing the ants have all that grain,” said Tux.
“May I continue?” said Herbie, raising his eyebrows.
“Sorry,” said Tux.

Chapter 3.
“The ants were surprised. 'Haven’t you stored away anything for the winter? What did you do all summer?'
“The grasshopper replied, 'I was busy playing my fiddle. I didn’t store away any food and now I have nothing to eat.'
“The ants shrugged their shoulders. “Making music, were you? they cried. “Very well, now dance!” And they turned around and went on with their work.”
Everyone was quiet.
“The End,” added Herbie.
“Well,” I said, breaking the silence. “That was a bit dark.”

Chapter 4.
Tux was quiet for a moment too, but then he brightened.
“Oh, I get it!” he said. “They were going to share their grain with the grasshopper while he entertained them with his fiddle.”
I was about to tell Tux that perhaps that was NOT what the ants intended when Messy spoke up. “Like how Herbie is telling us a story,” she said. “We need stories and music and art in our lives, especially when it’s cold and dark outside.”
I had to admit she had a point.
​“I like that version better,” I said.
“Tell us another,” said Tux.

Chapter 1.
We walked down the broad wooden steps of Palmetto Mansion and made our way across the wet lawn. The moon was big and full and gave everything in the night a soft white glow. A soft mist wrapped around the trees and rose up the trunks.
“Why are we going to the graveyard at night?” Asked Tux. “It’s so creepy.”
“Because it’s Halloween,” I said.
“What is Halloween?” Tux asked.
“Halloween celebrates the end of the harvest and the arrival of Winter on the first of November,” said Herbie.
“Oh,” said Tux.
“And many believe that tonight is the one night of the year when we can talk to the spirits,” he added.
“I don’t think I want to talk to the spirits,” said Tux quietly.
“Don’t believe everything that Herbie says,” I said.

Chapter 2.
We made our way to the center of the graveyard. There were cats of all colors and shapes assembled on the grounds.
Up on the very tallest grave stone sat Messy, her green eyes shining and her fluffy tail swishing back and forth. Her fur was thick and full and made her seem twice as big as a normal cat.
She was magnificent.
“I know Princess Messy,” I said casually to the brown tabby seated in front of me. “We’re pretty good friends,” I added.
“Really,” the cat replied, raising his eyebrows, looking me up and down with suspicion. She looked back up at the monument.
Messy had cleared her throat and began to speak. Her normally low, scratchy voice was loud and echoed throughout the cemetery.
“Tonight,” she boomed, “we honor our friends and family who crossed the Rainbow Bridge over the last year.”
“What is the Rainbow Bridge?” whispered Tux.
“It’s the bridge you cross when your nine lives on Earth is up,” I whispered back.
“Oh,” said Tux softly.
Messy continued. “Please call out the names of loved ones who are now waiting for us on the other side.”
It was quiet for a few moments, and then the cats gathered in the graveyard began to call out names.
“Mystery,” said one.
“Mister Pickles,” said another.
All along the circle of cats names were called out. Messy nodded at each one.
“Pela.”
“Grand Purr.”
“Little Jenny.”
Tux whispered again. “Where does the bridge go?”
“Well, they say when you cross over, you are greeted by all those you have loved in your life who crossed over before you. They wait for you on the other side.”
“Oh,” said Tux again.

​Chapter 3.
They listened quietly until the last name was said.
Messy looked out over the cats gathered before her.
“We are here to remember those who now wait for us. We thank them for all they did on this Earth, whether it was being a good friend to us or a loyal companion to their human. And for those whose life on Earth was hard, they are now surrounded by the love of all of those who wait for them.”
There were a few sniffles in the crowd.
“Until we meet again,” Messy said.
“Until we meet again,” the cats called out in chorus.

Chapter 4.
Tux moved in a little closer.
“Uncle Dobie?” he said quietly.
“Yes, Tux?”
“If you cross the Rainbow Bridge before me, will you wait for me there?”
I felt a sudden sting in my eyes. I blinked hard but now my eyes were wet.
“Of course I will, Tux.”
“Thanks,” said Tux. He looked relieved. He then leaped off the stone wall to join the other cats.
I watched his black and white fur disappear into the mists. But despite the chill in the air, I was warmed by a glow in my heart.

Chapter 1 .
    It was a beautiful Fall day at Palmetto Mansion. Yellow leaves were drifting down onto the green grass of the yard. A gentle breeze ruffled my fur. I was just getting comfortable in a patch of sun when Tux blurted out, “We need to go to a pumpkin patch.”
    I blinked.
    “A pumpkin patch?” I asked.
    “I heard the lady talking about it,” said Tux. “He said it isn’t really Fall unless you go to one.”
    Herbie lifted his head from his paws. “The season of Fall isn’t dependent upon our personal actions,” he said.  “It’s dependent on the movement of our planet around the Sun.”
    “He meant metaphorically,” said Tux. “The idea of Fall as a construct.”
    I was starting to find this conversation confusing. “All right,” I said, sitting up. “Let’s go find Tux a pumpkin patch.”
    “You know where one is?” said Herbie.
    “Sure I do. There’s one just the next yard over.”
    “Really?” said Tux hopefully, getting up.
    “Huh,” said Herbie. “This I want to see.”

Chapter 2.
    I led the way through the broken fence board to our neighbor’s garden. It was a collection of wooden frames with different types of vegetables growing in them.
    I gestured grandly with my paw. “Behold,” I said.
    Herbie and Tux looked at me blankly.
    “This is not a pumpkin patch,” said Herbie finally.
    “Sure it is,” I said. “Look at all the pumpkins.”
    I gestured grandly again.    
    “These aren’t pumpkins,” said Herbie. “These are tomatoes. Do you even know what a pumpkin is?”
    “Of course I know.” Or I thought I did. I never really paid attention. “Aren’t they just round vegetables?”
    “Technically they’re fruit,” corrected Herbie.
    “Pumpkins are orange. Tomatoes are red,” added Tux.
    “What’s the difference?” I said. I tried to think of what the color orange looked like.
    “Um,” said Tux. “YOU are orange.”
    I looked down at my fur. He was right.
    “Well,” I said. “They’re both round.”
    “It’s not the same,” said Tux.
    “I know who we can ask,” said Herbie.

Chapter 3.
    We found Messy in her usual spot, in the shade under the giant Magnolia tree.
    In the dirt.
    “Why is Messy always in the dirt?” whispered Tux.
    “She calls it Grounding,” whispered Herbie back.
    “Grounding?”
    “Yes,” said Herbie. “She says it’s a therapeutic technique that reconnects her to the earth. Something about electrical charges. She says it lowers her stress.”
    We came up to Messy. She was on her side, bits of leaves and soil clinging to her fur.
    “Messy,” I said quietly.
    She didn’t move.
    “Messy,” I said again, a little louder. One eye blinked open.
    “What,” she said.
    “Do you know where a pumpkin patch is?”
    She closed her eye.
    We waited.
    “Messy,” I said.
    She opened her eye again.
    “You’re still here,” she said.
    “Do you know about any pumpkin patches?” Herbie asked.
    “Pumpkins are orange,” I added helpfully.
    She hissed and sat up. A spider web was draped across her whiskers. I shuddered.
    “Why do you want to know?”
    “Tux wants to experience Fall,” I said. “He can’t unless we go to one.”
    “Although it’s really due to the angle of the sun,” added Herbie.
    “It’s symbolic,” emphasized Tux.
    She sighed and turned around. She lay down again, facing the other direction.
    “End of the street,” she said.
    “Thank you!” said Tux.
    “Enjoy your Grounding,” I said.
    She did not reply.

Chapter 4.
    We followed Messy’s instructions to the end of the street. I was skeptical. I’d been here before. It was just a big field.
    But this time it was different. Now the field had been transformed. It was full of big green leaves and winding vines.
    And then we saw them.
    Large, round, and very, very orange.
    Finally. A true patch of pumpkins.
    Tux was right. It did feel symbolic.
    “Come on!” Tux shouted. “Let’s go!” He raced off, bounding into the leaves, his black and white fur appearing and disappearing into the green.
    I sat down just to take it all in. Herbie sat down next to me.
    “Maybe Tux is right,” I said. “It DOES feel more like Fall now.”
    Herbie licked his paw. “It definitely has a different feel than the tomatoes,” he added.