Lotta Pie for Mona and Miso
(March 2025 edits)
The four-legged fur-face paced among his humans. Miso’s stomach growled and his whiskers twitched.
“YUM,” said Mona, a small girl sitting at the kitchen table.
“The last batch of cookies is ready to come out of the oven,” said her Daddy. “While we are waiting for these to cool, I think it’s time for a story about my favorite daughter and her cat Miso,” Daddy said.
“Daddy, I am your ONLY daughter,” Mona laughed. He always said that before story time.
“Well then,” he began, “Have I ever told you about Lotta Pie?”
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POUNCE! Daddy’s story began.
The orange cat slipped into the pink bedroom and jumped onto the bedspread.
“There were ABSOLUT-ILEE no treats in Mr. Woodrupp’s garbage can again. We must, must, must, MUST go out treat hunting!” said the cat. “I wanna go, go, go GO TO LOTTA PIE.”
“Miso,” replied Mona, who now sat up in bed. “Lotta Pie is far away.”
“Then it’s time for an adventure!” the cat replied.
Downstairs, Mona pulled on her comfy cat rain boots.
“Which way should we go?” asked Mona on the front porch.
“Why not fast forward!” announced Miso. “First one step and then the next — one, two, three FOUR!”
“I can do that, my silly friend!” laughed Mona.
The two adventurers marched down the sidewalk to the end of the block where in front of them was a giant snail.
“Good, good, good, GOOD morning, Snail,” Miso said, looking up at the wobbling eyestalks.
”Do you know how to get to Lotta Pie?” asked Mona.
”Ooooh, that is toooo far for me,” said Snail, slowly crawling away “Cherioooo.”
A block further, they found a track running up and down the street. A ladybug came toward them.
”Hello Ladybug,” Mona said. “Do you know how to get to—“
“Pie, pie, pie, LOTTA PIE,” interrupted Miso,
”Yezz,” Ladybug replied. “Youzz takezz a zztreetcar. Therezzz one coming.”
A streetcar pulled up minutes later and opened a sliding door for them.
“It’s buy-buy a pie-pie!” said Miso as he and Mona jumped from the curb into the streetcar. Mona looked at the passengers as the streetcar started up.
A woman sat next to a folded-up shopping cart.
A man sat reading a newspaper.
A gray opossum slowly slurped from a straw in a cup.
An anteater stuffed its nose into a steaming cup of tea.
After several minutes, Mona asked Miso, “Where do we get off?”
“I’ll know we’re at Lotta Pie when I smell it,” he replied. “Now, now, now, NOW!”
Miso jumped off the seat and ran to an exit door. It slid open after the streetcar stopped. Miso ran out the open doors.
“Wait for me, Miso,” yelled Mona. As she ran up to the door, it closed.
Mona stood on the streetcar, looking out the door window at Miso, who was standing on the sidewalk.
Just before the streetcar left, a large paw reached over Mona and touched the green button on the door. It opened!
“Thank you very much!” Mona said quickly.
“I almost lost you, naughty cat,” Mona said to Miso on the sidewalk. “Now, which way do we go?”
“Oh, my glorious nose tells me Lotta Pie is this way, way, way WAY,” said Miso. “I smell it, I can taste it, and I see it,” meowed Miso.
There, in front of them, was Lotta Pie.
They pushed open the door, smelled the air and looked at the long glass case filled with delights!
“May I help you?” A hairy chimp in a yellow apron looked over the counter.
“Oooooo, they have chocoooolateee! I want the second one on the top, top, top TOP row,” squealed Miso. “Same for me,” said Mona.
The chimp placed the pies on the counter. “Will that be cash or credit?” she asked.
The travelers looked at one another. “Of course you brought money, right, right, right, RIGHT?” asked Miso. Mona stared at the cat. “No, I didn’t,” the girl answered. She had a piggy bank at home, but she forgot it!
A large paw reached over them and laid down some dollars on the counter. Mona looked up to see Mrs. Crumbpacker, a large black and white badger who was their next door neighbor, looking down at them. “What are you doing here by yourselves?” she asked.
”It’s an adventure,” answered Mona. “Miso craved a Lotta Pie.”
“I can see that!” the neighbor answered.
“Thank you, Mrs. Crumbpacker,” Mona said.
“And how will you be getting home?” asked the neighbor. “Why don’t you let me drive you there.”
Miso started to answer. “Well, I AM the most-finest hunter and swellist tracker—“
“That would be wonderful,” Mona interrupted. “Thank you again!”
As they walked to the door, Miso meowed loudly and ran out the revolving door.
Mona yelled out, ”What are we going to do, Mrs. Crumbpacker? He’s gone! I’ll never see him again!”
”Let’s see if he turns up,” said Mrs. Crumpacker.
When they reached the car, Miso was already sitting next to it, wearing a Hawaiian shirt and sunglasses, ready for his next adventure.
”Oh you silly cat, where DID you go?” Mona said, hugging the orange cat.
Miso jumped out of her arms, then onto the car and sat on the roof.
“It’s not a rocket ship but it’s like fly, fly, fly, FLYING,” he meowed.
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“What happened to Snail?” Mona asked her Daddy.
”Well,” her Daddy said, “I think Snail arrived at the store and was able to buy her energy drinks and unsalted snacks before the store closed,” said her Daddy. “Your crafty cat rode on the roof of the car the whole way home.”
“I don’t think I would want to ride on top of a car,” replied Mona. “I would love to visit a place like Lotta Pie for snacks.”
“Speaking of snacks, I think these cookies are cool enough.”
Mona took a bite, smiled ear-to-ear and then handed a small piece down to Miso who answered, “meow, meow, meow, MEEEEEOOOOW!”
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