They'll Mew the Day

Norman rode the elevator to the top floor in his office tower. He held a briefcase containing notes for he presentation he had at four p.m. He hoped there was coffee, as he was tired. He didn't really want to give this presentation but had little choice.

Once he was at the top floor, he sighed and yawned before walking out of the elevator. He walked down the hallway and into the boardroom. The room was one where he and his team had made countless decision for their company. Norm realised the irony of this room. He'd sat at the head of the table. The fifty-seven year old sometimes wondered if these arrangements were any different then a child claiming they were king of the proverbial castle simply because they stood or sat at what all agreed was the best position.

Four of the six executives he was going to give the presentation to were already there. Each, as Norman was, wore an expensive suit. Norm would rather be relaxing on the beach in swim trunks or taking a walk in the woods wearing shorts and a tee shirt.

Norman walked to the head of the table across from the windows overlooking the city. Placing his briefcase on the wooden table and opening it, he pulled out his notes and deposited them on the table. He sat down, at first looking over the city before him. The sun was getting low in the horizon.

Fall is already upon us. Summer goes by so fast. It's no wonder kids get upset about it.

A young woman, one of the administrative assistants working there, entered the room moments later. She inquired as to whether or not anyone wanted any coffee.

Maybel, you're a lifesaver.

Norman was thankful for her consideration. While most of the others at the meeting were polite to her, they seemed withdrawn, as though they were afraid being too polite to her would somehow damage their reputations.

It's all nothing more then a grown up version of a popularity contest.

Norman addressed Maybel by her first name, in a polite tone. He was thankful for her assistance, without her to take care of such duties, Norm's job as well as the jobs of every executive in that room would be much more difficult.

Maybel waited until the last two board members had arrived and told her what they wanted before leaving.

With a sigh, Norman waited until everyone was ready, stood up and began.

"Thank you for coming. I'll try to keep this presentation as short as possible as I know we're all tired and looking forward to beginning our weekend."

The others present nodded in agreement.

Maybel returned with mugs of coffee for each of the men. Something felt different about her. She didn't appear different.

She seems to have a lot more energy, I wonder why?

The young woman handed drinks to each of the other board members before handing Norman his.

"Here's your coffee Mr Pence," she said.

"Thank you Maybel," Norman said.

I don't want Maybel addressing me in that manor; she's just as cool as I am.

He wasn't sure where that thought came from but it felt good when it entered his mind.

"Just Norman is fine," he said with a smile.

"Okay," Maybel said as she handed Norman the coffee, smiled and almost seem to bound out of the room without making a sound other then opening and closing the door.

"Charming young woman," the board member at the far right side of the table said.

"Yes, I don't where I'd be without her."

Norman sipped his coffee and looked down at his notes to see where he was. Norm wasn't sure why but his notes seemed different somehow. Clearing his throat, he started the presentation.
              
-

Ten minutes later, Norman was on the second of five pages. He'd only drank some of his coffee yet he felt more energetic. He noticed that the other board members were shifting in their seats. Adjusting his collar, Norman looked back down at his notes.

He was talking about quarterly profits and projected sales for the next quarter. His notes included a projection of a bar graph, which he was now using on the wall to his right. When he looked at the projection, for a few seconds, he heard what sounded like children laughing. The sound reminded him of something he'd lost and perhaps longed for. Unfortunately, his career had prevented him from getting married, so he'd never had a chance to have children. However, that didn't quite seem to be it.

"Everything all right sir?" the member closest to his left asked.
              
"Yes, I'm fine; sorry," Norman said.

Looking back down at his notes, Norman gasped when he saw, in place of financial graphs and statistics, he saw a child's drawing. It was a picture of the boardroom, seen through the eyes of what Norman assumed was a child. Whoever had drawn the picture had portrayed Norm and his fellow executives as monkeys in suits. He reacted in a way that he'd never have expected himself to; he chuckled! They were in monkey suits. These meetings were rather silly.
              
"Sir, are you okay? What's so funny?" the same from before asked.
              
Norman blinked his eyes twice and seemed to snap out of it. Looking back at the papers, they appeared normal. Now he was certain something was wrong. Was it the coffee? Perhaps he was just tired.
              
"Yes, I guess I'm just a bit drained. Let's get this done with so we can all go home," Norman said.

He drank more of his coffee and another unusual thought flew through his mind. Go home and play!
              
Scratching his chin, Norman felt what appeared to be a five-o'clock shadow. However, it hadn't of been there when he's used the facilities only an hour before!
              
All of the other members suddenly pushed their chairs back and stood up, all looking at Norman as though something were wrong.
              
"Um ... sir?" The same man again asked.

"What's wrong Danny?" Norman asked. He hadn't of used that name to refer to someone named Daniel in years, perhaps decades!
              
"There's something growing on your ... your," Daniel said, apparently unable to finish the sentence.
              
As Norman watched, Daniel started laughing! Norman looked back and forth at the other board members, who were backing away from he and Daniel. Systematically, they began to shrink. Their arms disappeared into their coats as their shoes fell off and their feet shrank into their pants.
              
"What's happening to us?"
              
Norman may have called for help if the room hadn't of started growing! Now, it was his appendages turn to shrink into his clothes. His shoes fell off with a light thud on the floor. He was relieved that he'd rid himself of them.

Daniel was on the floor laughing. Norman pink hair sprouting all over the young mans face. Young man? Daniel is forty-five years old! What's happening? Daniel's face seemed to warp. In fact, the faces of every man in the room were warping! Their eyes were growing slightly larger, their hair seemed to be falling out and receding into their heads and their ears were almost melting into their heads only to re-grow atop them in a triangular shape. What was perhaps the most alarming was the pink fur enveloping their faces.

All around him, Norm's colleagues were not only becoming some sort of animals but also looking younger by the minute. Barry Townsed who was fifty-three appeared barley in his twenties!

Norm something pushing at the base of the Daniel's pants. With a combination of fascination and horror that was dwindling to make way for amusement, Norman watched something skinny and covered in pink fur push its way from Daniel. It grew until it flattened out at the end and was twice as long as Daniel's body! A tail, Daniel had a tail!
              
His slacks falling down to his knees, Norm barley registered the belt clanging on the ceramic floor. Norman should have been embarrassed. However, he felt almost relived to be free of them. His shirt and suit were, by now down to his knees and getting larger.
              
What's happening to us?
              
Who cares, this is fun!
              
We're too old for this. Wait a minute, what am I saying! Acting your age is boring! I feel like a teenager again. I can get away with having fun!

Norman was hearing the thoughts of the other board members. That term didn't seem much fun anymore. The fact that he could hear the others thoughts alarmed Norman, but only for a moment.
              
Feeling something pushing at the back of his shirt, (which by now covered his entire body), Norman decided to free himself of the clothes. Much to his elation, as he thought about it, the shirt, as though on command, unbuttoned and flew away from him with his jacket. He imagined standing up only to find himself floating above his clothes. After initial trepidation that he was having an out of body experience, Norman was relieved to see that he was still in his body.
Was it even his body? Pink fur was covering him, eventually eliminating any reason for Norm to need clothes. His hips quivered as they moved to the sides of his body. Norman giggled at the sight of his feet. They were growing longer, the sight reminding Norm of a clown's feet.

I loved clowns as a kid. Wait a second, I still love clowns.

For a fleeting few seconds, Norm wondered what he looked like. Then, as though he was viewing images taken of him from several different angles, information entered his mind. He appeared as Daniel, Barry and the others now appeared or soon would appear. He had a tail twice his length, large hips, cute long three toed feet, large blue eyes and a muzzle. He appeared as though he were an alien feline.

Norman gazed at his feet. Yes, they now were three toed and long. He felt something tag at something behind him.
              
The word Mew entered his mind. That's what he and the others had become!

Turning, he saw a mew floating in the air and holding onto what Norman knew was his tail. With his new ability to read minds, he knew this mew was Danny. He had large blue eyes and appeared more playful then Danny had ever been!
              
"Got'Cher tail!" Danny said.
              
Norman looked around the room to see the others now escaping from their clothes as they too floated in mid air. Spinning around, Norman escaped Danny's grasp and giggled.
              
Laughter again entered Norman's mind. It energised him. Who cared about boring reports when there was so much fun for he and his friends to have?
              
Of course, Norman knew what all these reports meant. He just couldn't take interest in them! He saw Danny was now chasing his own tail. Norman sensed Danny's enjoyment and allowed himself to float over the window.

Joy unlike anything he'd ever felt flooded his mind when he realised that he and his friends weren't alone. Everyone in town was having as much fun as they were!
              
Hearing the doors to the board, no, playroom open, Norman turned to see Maybel float into the room. He knew it was she right away. Being a psychic type came in handy.
              
"You guys too?" Maybel asked.
              
"Yep," Norman said.

"So, what do we..."
              
Maybel was unable to finish before Danny floated over to her, tapped her on the shoulder and declared her to be it before floating down the hall, giggling.
              
"That's what," Norman said.
              
Norman took once last look at his notes as his friends all flew in different directions. How could he have thought such boring stuff was interesting? He felt Maybel tag him just before she floated away.
              
The game was on; it was time for Norman to have some fun.