What are you Typing?

“What are you typing,” Harold asked Miles the Packrat. Miles stood on his hind feet, his beady packrat eyes got as big as his pointy nose, and in order to stop his bushy tail from swapping back and forth (his mother would say stop swapping at flies, Miley boy), he grabbed it with his paws.

“Well, good morning, Harold. How are you feeling today, hmm? All are parts connected this lovely summer day? The birds sing sweet lullabies, except for those wretched Killdeer that scream baby-killer, the Irises are gone, but the lilies and peonies are jumping in, along with the roses.”

“Miles, I know you’re doing something. What are you writing?”

Miles heaved a heavy sigh. He knew it would hurt Harold’s feelings if he figured out that Miles was actually a packrat writer for Bob Dylan, one of the greatest songwriters of all time, and still maintained contact with Dylan. “Well, Harold, I wanted to surprise you for your, um, death day celebration. It’s coming up in just a couple of, well, months. And, well, now you’ve gone and spoiled the surprise.”

Miles dropped his tail, and sat on his hind feet, his nose almost touched the floor, but he raised up one eye to look at Harold.

“How have you figured out my death day,” Harold asked.

“I have been doing research, Harold. I found the last trace of you in August 2008. I also researched this cabin. You and Lilith purchased it in May 2008. The first renter moved here in 2012, which gave your, well, your body, time to, how do I say this candidly? Well, plenty of time to become nothing but bones. They lasted one month. The next, and may I add, last renter, was here from May, 2013, until July, 2013.”

“So you think I died sometime in 2008?”

“Yes, Harold. As near as I can understand it, you disappeared sometime after August 2008. I am planning a party for the end of September. I thought we could invite Miss Kitty, Lenny and Rex.”

“And Lilith? Will you invite Lilith?”

“I’ve been meaning to talk to you about Lilith, old man. Although someone is receiving her monthly allowance, there has been no trace of Lilith since October 2008. Like you, she seems to have totally disappeared.”