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The Strange Case of Ms. Casspaw:
Four, Ms. Casspaw's Visitors:
It seems I am compelled to keep telling you about the doings of
my most unusual neighbor Ms. Casspaw. Another fascinating episode
occurred recently. It was on a balmy summer evening. Relaxing
after one of her fine dinners Mrs. Gaffer and I were enjoying
the weather on our front porch. She was having a small glass of
Chablis while I sucked on a cool Heineken.
I was surprised and intrigued when a long black limousine turned
into our street and stopped in front of Ms. Casspaw's home. As
I have said we are a quiet bunch, not given to pretentious behavior.
I was even more intrigued when a number of well dressed women
stepped out and knocked on Ms. Casspaw's door.
After they had entered I turned to Mrs. Gaffer.
"Very strange," I remarked. "I believe I counted
twelve ladies in that group."
"Thirteen," corrected Mrs. Gaffer. "there were
thirteen of them."
I chose to not debate the point.
"Witches!" Remarked Mrs. Gaffer. "A coven of witches.
That's what they were. We should have expected this."
I raised my eyebrows slightly, but refrained from comment.
"Did you notice the clothing?" she demanded.
"Only that they seemed well dressed," I replied.
"Well dressed in very conservative and dark clothing. They
don't want attention I daresay."
I refrained from pointing out that riding around in a long limo
was not consistent with a philosophy of avoiding attention.
"Ages fit too," continued Mrs. Gaffer. "Mostly
middle aged and older with a couple of young apprentices."
I rolled my eyes and turned my attention to my Heineken.
"Did you see the cat?" she demanded.
I had noticed that one of the younger ladies was carrying what
appeared to be a cat.
"It could have been a cat," I hedged.
"It was a cat alright!" retorted Mrs. Gaffer, "Jet
black. A witch's cat, you can be sure. No good will come of this."
I did not think that Ms. Casspaw's visitors posed a direct threat
to us, but I kept quiet. We spent most of the evening on the porch
enjoying the weather and chatting about this and that. Mrs. Gaffer
spent some time instructing me in the doings of witches. I am
used to being lectured and instructed so I held my peace.
It was just nearing dusk when we noticed that Ms. Casspaw's visitors
were departing. All but one paraded out the door and went straight
to the limo. One of the older ones remained on the porch and spoke
a few words to Ms. Casspaw before she joined her friends. Then
the limo drove off.
We sat there a few minutes while Mrs. Gaffer became more and more
agitated. Finally she could hold it in no longer.
"Well!" she demanded.
"What?" I inquired.
"She won't tell me," retorted Mrs. Gaffer. "She'll
tell you. It's you she trusts."
I admit that I was just being ornery. I was every bit as curious
about the visitors as was my spouse. I smiled, stood up, and went
through the house and through the back yards as was my custom.
I cannot say for sure that Ms. Casspaw was expecting me, but she
did open the door before I tapped. She smiled with delight.
"Come in, Mr. Gaffer. How nice of you to stop by."
Without asking she fixed me a martini with three olives.
"Did you notice my visitors?" she asked with a grin.
"Indeed we did," I confessed. "We were enjoying
the weather on our porch when they arrived. I was impressed by
the auto."
"It seemed big enough to seat then all," said Ms. Casspaw
casually.
Ms. Casspaw usually drives a Towncar.
"To be sure," I agreed. I took a sip of the martini.
"Excellent as always," I said.
Ms. Casspaw smiled. "Thank you, Mr. Gaffer. Please sit down
and enjoy it."
As I sat down I noticed the jet black cat sitting on a chair in
a corner. Ms. Gaffer had been correct.
"You have a new friend," I remarked.
"Indeed," she replied. "My visitors left him with
me. His name is Mr. Midnight."
"Appropriate," I said.
I nodded to the cat who just stared at me without emotion. I turned
to Ms. Casspaw.
She said, "I'm really glad you stopped by, Mr Gaffer. I'm
just busting to talk about my visitors."
I grinned. "I don't believe we have ever seen the ladies
before," I prompted.
"That's true enough," she replied. "They're from
another place; out of town."
"Oh, are they some kind of women's group?"
Ms. Casspaw put a finger to her cheek. "Group is not quite
right," she pondered. "I think coven is the word."
My eyes got large. Could it be that Mrs. Gaffer was right about
this too?
"Coven?" I blurted. "Like in witches?"
Ms. Casspaw laughed with delight.
"Indeed, Mr. Gaffer, a coven of witches. I see you understand."
"Witches here?" I queried. "To see you?"
"It seems so, Mr. Gaffer. It seems they have found out about
me recently from Mr. Robert. You remember Mr. Robert, don't you?"
I must say I remembered seeing Mr. Robert, the Bobcat, chase Mr.
Casspaw a few days previously.
"Not as well as Mr. Casspaw," I allowed, "but I
remember him. Handsome fellow."
Ms. Casspaw laughed again. I liked her laugh. It had a delightful
uninhibited bubbling to it.
"Not as well as Mr. Casspaw," she echoed. "I like
that."
"Mr. Robert must get around," I said.
"Yes he does. As I said, he is a traveler. You would be surprised,
Mr. Gaffer, at the number of travelers there are among us. That's
how Mr. Robert got to know about me. Other travelers told him.
Now he stops by whenever he is passing through."
I could not let that pass a second time. "I'm not sure I
know what a traveler is," I remarked.
"I'm not sure either Mr. Gaffer. I get that a traveler is
just one who travels and gathers information."
"Information for the witches?" I blurted.
"I believe so. I expect to learn more later."
"Then Mr. Robert told the ladies about you."
"Yes, It seems he acts as a sometimes talent scout for the
fraternity."
"Then you are being recruited?" I asked with fascination.
"I am, Mr. Gaffer. It surprised me too, especially when they
said I have potential. They said they normally like to start with
younger women, but they could not overlook a potential talent
such as mine. I was very flattered."
I know my mouth was hanging open. I could not speak because I
was trying to picture Ms. Casspaw as a witch. For sure, I did
not know how to do that because, outside of the kids stories from
long ago, I had no idea of what a witch should look like. I had
even less of an idea about what a witch does. Finally, I manages
to snap my mouth shut. Ms. Casspaw was smiling kindly at me.
"I'm am sorry, Ms. Casspaw," I blurted. "I am simply
taken aback. The idea of you being recruited by a fraternity of
witches is remarkable to say the least. I haven't even a notion
of what a witch is or what a witch does."
"Nor do I, Mr. Gaffer," she responded. "No idea
at all."
"Did you ask them what they are about?"
"I did, and they plan to tell me. We have arranged an exchange
of sorts."
I must have looked worried for she laughed to reassure me.
"It's nothing threatening, Mr. Gaffer. It's just what any
organization would do. They want to make sure there is a fit."
"Then you do have a choice? I must admit I was concerned
for you. I've grown rather fond of you."
She blushed prettily. "Thank you, Mr. gaffer. It is nice
to have you to confide in. Believe me, most people would not understand
at all. Can you imagine how most people would act if I told them
what I have shared with you?"
I smiled my agreement."Most people are not very tolerant
or imaginative," I offered.
"To say the least," she agreed. "You are quite
rare, Mr. Gaffer."
I know how to blush too and I did.
"What are your plans now?" I asked. "Apparently
you must come to some decision."
"Well, the ladies want to learn about me and investigate
what they called my talent. At the same time, they want to make
sure I understand what the fraternity is and what it is not. That
way we can make an informed decision."
"How will you do that exchange? Will you have to travel?"
I enquired.
"No, Mr. Gaffer. I'll stay right here for now. Everything
will take place right here. I will have conversations with various
ones of the ladies over the next few weeks. Nothing as ostentatious
as what happened today. They will come individually in regular
autos. I will know a great deal more after that."
"It sounds fascinating," I remarked. "You should
learn a great deal in a short time."
" I hope to," she agreed, "and I hope to share
it with you as I learn."
That was the invitation I had been hoping for.
"I'll be sure to stop by often," I smiled.
Ms. Casspaw smiled and filled my glass adding three olives. After
that we sat and chatted for a while, then I went home to report
to Mrs. Gaffer. I braced as I reported that her observation about
witches had been correct. She was a bit smug, but not overbearing.
"I suppose, so long as they are cat people, they can't be
all bad," she remarked. "I won't insist that no good
will come of this yet. I'll just bide my time."
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