Catch As Cat Can

                If it had a motor in it, Harry was enthralled. She clambered up the metal steps ringing with each footfall, up to the operator's cab.

                "What is she doing?" Pewter crossly complained, paws on the dash as she peered upward through the windshield.

                Mrs. Murphy and Tucker followed her example. They heard the motor fire up.

                "You know," Miranda said out loud, "I believe I'll move my car."

                "If she's getting out of here, we should do the same." Pewter headed for the open driver's-side window.

                "Worry wart." Mrs. Murphy barely got the words out of her mouth when the wrecker's ball swung over the roof of the truck, over part of the new main building's roof.

                "Adios!" Pewter flew out the window.

                "Damn." Tucker scrambled to the window; it was a long drop for the dog.

                "Don't worry, Tucker, I can open the door." Murphy leaned hard on the door handle, pressing with all her weight.

                Hearing the click, the corgi pushed against the door, which opened, Tucker nearly tumbling out. Once on the ground, cat and dog bolted just as the ball passed over on its way back.

                "Every cat for herself," Pewter called from under a neatly stacked crosshatched pile of railroad ties.

                Miranda crouched in her Falcon, which she'd parked next to those railroad ties."Tell you what, I hope that boy is sober." She emerged from her car thinking if anything did go wrong she'd have a better chance on foot.

                "Me, too," Pewter concurred.

                Up in the operator's cab, Roger brought the ball back up to the nose of the crane."Your turn."

                She sat on the cracked black leather seat, warm from Roger."Ready."

                "If you want the ball to go down-no, don't grab them yet- you squeeze these calipers. Closing them completely dumps the ball straight down. Smash.

                "If you want to swing the ball use this set of calipers here, here on the left, and the wheel"-he pointed to the steering wheel- "will move the whole deal, turn the cab and the crane, see. Got it?"

                "Piece of cake." She smiled as she swung the ball, slowly, over the other side of the fence, keeping her eyes glued to the ball."Bet you get to a point where you can work the calipers, the wheel, the pedals kind of like a drummer."

                " 'Zactly, but I say if you can drive a tractor you can learn to do most any heavy equipment work."

                She brought the ball back up, let it down a little bit, then brought it up to the nose."This is so cool."

                "Yeah."

                Sean strode outside, looking upward along with his customers who were outside. He shouted, trying to be heard over the heavy diesel motor, "Roger!"

                Roger leaned out of the cab, saluting his brother, then he swung back in."He is so old. Turned into an old man. I'm telling you, I love my brother but, Jesus H. Christ, he is such a pain in the ass. Like this business is the center of the universe. Ever since Dad passed. Okay, okay, everyone has to make a living but Sean thinks he's the indispensable person. Hey, the cemeteries are filled with indispensable people, you know what I mean, Harry Barry?" He sighed."Miss seeing you around."

                "Thanks, Rog. What a nice thing to say."

                He shook his head."We've got the yard on an even keel. Working like dogs but all I ask"-he waved again to his gesticulating mother, then cut the motor-"is to go to the tracks Friday and Saturday nights." He glanced down. Sean hadn't moved."Big Brother 5 watching you. Well, babe, lesson's over."

                "I loved it."

                As they climbed down, the three animals hurried back to the truck, jumped in, and together using the armrest pulled the door back.

                Tucker had to jump onto the floorboard first but she scratched .p on the seat and helped pull the door back with the kitties.

                "She doesn't need to know I con open the door." Mrs. Murphy raised her long silky eyebrows.

                "What she doesn't know won't hurt her." Pewter giggled.

                "I'm thrilled to be alive," Tucker exhaled."Seeing that black ball swoosh over head did not inspire confidence."

                Harry, enthusiastically reporting her lesson to Miranda, didn't notice the animals shutting the truck door. She hadn't even noticed it was open in the first place and she was so excited when she was p with the wrecker's ball she missed the people scattered below.

                Sean fired off a few choice words to Roger, who shrugged. Sean turned on his heel, stalking back into the main building.

                Roger smiled at the two women."The only question worth asking yourself is, 'Am I having fun?' "