by Julie Helms

Created on: December 04, 2008

Razzmatazz Kitten stretched tall on her back legs to look out the open window. She could just see across the street to the bustling of whirling and swirling activity. Pretty colors flashed and danced. Bright lights glittered and twinkled. Loud noises popped and banged. And best of all were the smells that floated on the air right into her window, tickling her whiskers. The carnival had arrived in town!

Razz imagined herself going round and round, up and down on the Ferris wheel. Then she happily thought of the cotton candy all sticky and pink caught in her whiskers and paws. Bobbing for fish in a bowl to win a prize was her best daydream of all!

Razz padded over to Daddy Cat. He gazed intently at his daily newspaper. "Daddy, may I go to the carnival?" asked Razz.

"I am too busy to take you today, Li'l Razz. Maybe tomorrow," Daddy Cat said, without looking up from his tall crinkly paper.

With her tail straight up, a bit crooked at the top in a hopeful way, Razz padded over to Mama Cat who was busily knitting and humming a soft tune. "Mama, may I go to the carnival?" asked Razz.

"I am too busy to take you today, Li'l Razz, and you are too little to go alone."

"Oh," said Razz, her tail now a little lower. She went to her room and played quietly by herself. She pretended to be going round and round, up and down on the Ferris wheel, cotton candy all sticky and pink caught in her whiskers and paws, and bobbing for fish in a bowl. Then she yawned and curled up, drifting off to sleep in a pile of rags.

A little while later Mama Cat wondered where Razz had gone. She and Daddy Cat looked high and low, over and under, inside and out but could not find her.

"Li'l Razz must have gone to the carnival after all!" Mama Cat wailed. "Daddy Cat, look for Razz at the carnival. I'll ask her friends if they have seen her."

Daddy Cat crossed the street and watched the Ferris wheel go round and round, up and down but Razzmatazz was not there. He went to the cotton candy machine surrounded by children all sticky and pink but Razzmatazz was not there. He went to the games and saw the fish bowl for bobbing but Razzmatazz was not there.

Mama Cat had talked with Li'l Razz's friends but none had seen her. Daddy Cat came home. He was worried. Mama Cat sat on the couch and cried and cried.

Razz finally awoke from all the hubbub. She yawned and stretched as she crawled out from under the pile of rags. Walking out of her room she saw Mama Cat. "What's wrong Mama? Why are you crying?"

"Oh, Li'l Razz, you were here all along. What a good little kitten!"

And Mama Cat purred

And Daddy Cat purred

And Razzmatazz Kitten purred with her tail straight up, a bit crooked at the top.

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