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“Ma, what do you think you’re doing?” he asked.

“What does it look like I’m doing? I’m saving the planet.”

“We’ve received a number of complaints—”

“Good! Someone should take this littering issue seriously. It’s ruining our planet and we as a community should take a stand.”

“Not about the littering. About you!”

“Me?” she said, giving him a look of such wide-eyed innocence she could have fooled him if not for his long association with the woman.

“Yes, Ma. You. You’ve been harassing people.”

“Harassing! I’m simply asking them a couple of simple questions. They’re free to answer or not. And I’m free to ask questions. This is still a free country, isn’t it?”

“People don’t like it when you shove a camera in their face and start filming.”

“I don’t ‘shove’ my camera in anyone’s face. I merely record their responses, as I believe they’re crucially important.”

“And what’s this I’m hearing about a cult? Did you really go and join this Soul Science nonsense?”

“It isn’t nonsense. Besides, we’re going tonight, so you can see for yourself.”

He thunked his brow.“I should have known,” he groaned.

“Should have known what?”

“That you’d try to trick me into doing something I don’t wanna!”

“I didn’t trick you into doing anything. I just asked you to drive me to my spiritual meeting, and while you’re at it you might as well come in and introduce yourself to my new friends. They’re all dying to meet you, and frankly I don’t see what you’re going all goggle-eyed over. MasterOmar is a perfectly respectable man, and since he has all the answers to all the questions in the universe I don’t see what there is to complain about. Don’t you want to know the meaning of life and happiness? Well, then.”

“No, I don’t want to know about the meaning of life, or happiness, or whatever. I want you to stay home tonight and forget all about this Soul Science and this Master Omar.”

A mutinous look stole over her face.“Are you ordering me to stay home?”

“No, I’m not ordering you to stay home—I’m asking you. For your own good.”

“Well, I’m sorry but I’m not going to stay home while I have a chance to join the inner circle. I made so many recruits today that Omar is probably gonna wanna speak to me in private to give me his personal blessing. And you can’t take that away from me, Alec!”

And with these words, she stalked off, leaving him shaking his head and tugging at the few remaining hairs that were left on his scalp.

And people asked him why he’d gone prematurely gray…

Chapter 11

The time had finally arrived for the entire Poole family (and cats) to put in an appearance at Soul Science headquarters and clap eyes on the mysterious Masters Omar and Sharif.

Since Gran had insisted we arrive in style, she’d made sure the women were all dressed nicely, and so were the men. About us cats nobody bothered, as per usual. I guess I should probably have taken it as a compliment: cats are creatures so gorgeous we don’t need to bother with unnecessary adornments like clothes, makeup or coiffures.

We arrived in two cars and had to park three blocks away, as all the parking spaces closer to Tavern Street had been taken.

“Busy night,” Chase remarked as we got out. He’d been our designated driver, while Gran had her private chauffeur in the form of Uncle Alec, who’d grudgingly complied when she told him to comb his hair and put on a nice suit.

It appeared as if the last time he’d worn the suit was a couple of decades ago, as it smelled terribly of mothballs and lavender and was a little tight around the edges.

We all proceeded along the sidewalk, and soon were joined by many more people, all getting out of cars and heading in the same direction we were.

“Are they all going to the same place, Max?” asked Dooley.

“I guess we’ll soon find out,” I said.

“Of course they’re all going to the same place,” said Harriet. “There’s only one show in town and that’s Soul Science. Soon the entire town of Hampton Cove will declare itself Soul Science territory, and then the Hamptons, and then the rest of the country and the world. Can you imagine,you guys? We’ll be able to tell our grandchildren that we were there when it all began!”

Her giddy excitement was infectious, and Dooley said,“Our grandchildren will be so proud!”

I could have spoiled the fun by pointing out that we were all neutered and spayed and so there were never going to be any grandchildren, but I decided not to. Harriet was right in that there was a certain electricity in the air. As if something new and exciting was about to happen, and I did feel uplifted by the general atmosphere of anticipation.

Even Chase seemed to feel it, for his eyes were shining as he gripped Odelia’s hand a little tighter. The only one who wasn’t impressed was Uncle Alec, but then apparently he’d had to endure Gran’s incessant barrage of questions all through the drive for he now said, “Will you cut it out? I told you I don’t want to know about the meaning of life.”

“You’re missing out big time, Alec,” said Gran.

“I don’t care!”