The Cat And The Mouse

The Life Of Oscar And Napoleon

This day began like other days for Oscar and Napoleon so they thought. The light from the window moved across the room shining on the face of Oscar the cat. His green eyes opened to another day of comfort. The light continues to grow brighter moving slowly making its way towards a little crack in the floorboard of the wall. The final movement of the light enters the small crack and movement from within begins. Napoleon the mouse has awaken to another day.

The only thing remaining the sound of Roger their owner coming to join them in the daily ritual event. This event begins with the sound of Oscar’s food bowl being filled for the day. Oscar and Napoleon are now two happy fellows. You see Oscar is a very messy eater leaving crumbs all over the floor. Napoleon is a very patience mouse waiting for the right opportunity to crab and take the crumbs back to his breakfast table. This is their unwritten agreement.

This day is full of more noise than usual. Napoleon and Oscar both are awakened from their morning naps. The noise is coming from Roger. He comes over to Oscar and rubs and pets his shiny hair saying be a good boy toady. Oscar purrs and rolls over to begin another lazy day of sunbathing by the window.

The darkness gives way to a new day. The light moves towards Oscar sleeping in the corner. The light comes across his face again opening his green eyes to another day. The light now moves towards the crack in the floorboard to awaken Napoleon. Oscar sense their is something different this morning. No movement or sounds of Roger today.

Oscar is confused and begins to purr and sing a song of hunger and thirst. No one comes to hear his call. Napoleon also is confused while waiting patiently for his morning breakfast. His patience finally come to a end. Napoleon thinks Oscar has broken their agreement.

Napoleon decides to make the move to venture out into Oscar world and risk to find out what happened to his morning breakfast. This is a very dangerous for him. We all know that hunger pains call for deadly action. Napoleon moves closer to Oscar’s food bowl and finds nothing there no crumbs. Oscar is awakened by the movement of noise thinking that Roger has returned. Oscar moves quickly towards his food bowl with anticipation of his morning meal. Oscar is taken by surprise to find Napoleon licking his bowl.

The chase begins the agreement broken. The sound of broken glass and trash fills the room. Finally Napoleon wins the race back to his crack in the wall. Napoleon is now frustrated with no food today. Oscar is frustrated also no energy left to chase Napoleon. Oscar remains near the crack in the wall waiting for Napoleon to show up again for mouse for breakfast would be very nice.

The morning passes again no Roger to be found night finds its way back again. The silence of the night is broken by the movement of light not from the window but from the return of Roger and the sound of his voice. Oscar jumps and purrs tail wagging in the air. Roger looks around the house seeing broken glass and trash filling the floor.

All is forgiven Roger fills Oscar’s food bowl with extra food for him to enjoy. Napoleon also awake now looks with anticipation for his late night meal. He begins the long an dangerous trip across the floor again. He makes it to the crumbs left behind without disturbing Oscar’s sleep. All is well again.

There is a quote from Steve Jobs summarizes this story of Oscar and Napoleon. Steve talks about the magazine from the 1970’s called Whole Earth Catalog. He says on the final issue on the back cover you will find a picture of a lonely road covered with dusk highlighted with these words.

“ Stay hungry and Stay Foolish “

Both Napoleon and Oscar were hungry and foolish that day.