Puku of the Quiet Shop: The Afternoon Out for Supplies and the Cat Left Behind
That day, I closed the shop just for the afternoon and went a little further away to pick up supplies.
Leaving the cat behind to go out still makes me a little nervous, even now.
But, there are days like that, too.
This is a standalone story, but if you are curious about the previous one...
That day, I decided to close the shop just for the afternoon.
It wasn't enough to warrant putting up a temporary closure sign, but the supplier was a bit far away.
After locking the door, I looked back just once.
Inside, Puku was on the counter.
I started to say something, but decided against it in the end.
It was just my own convenience, after all.
I parked the car at the supplier's lot and, having a little time, drank some coffee.
When I checked my smartphone, a notification from the automatic feeder had just popped up.
Thinking of that, I opened the app.
On the screen, the usual shop and Puku in front of the feeder were visible.
I dispensed the food from where I was.
There was a whirring sound, and the food dropped.
Puku didn't eat right away; he waited a beat before starting to eat in his usual manner.
Seeing that, for some reason, I felt a little relieved.
I kept staring at the screen blankly.
Then, I felt like something moved at the edge of the screen.
Near the bottom of the shelf, a shadow a little thinner than Puku.
...I think it was probably just my imagination.
When I looked again, nothing was there anymore.
Puku was still eating his food, showing no signs of being concerned about anything.
At times like these, cats don't tell you anything.
I finished stocking up and returned to the shop.
When I opened the door, Puku was near the entrance.
He didn't have any particular expression on his face.
The food bowl was empty, and the floor was as it always is.
Though, I do feel like the food ran out a little faster than usual.
But, days like that are usually just my imagination.
That night, Puku slept by the shelf.
There is probably no reason for it.
I looked at the automatic feeder, didn't touch anything, and turned off the lights.
The shop, and this day, were probably just as they always are.
☆ The little picture-book-like days of Puku and the shopkeeper ☆
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