Cat Diary: Pretzelcat and the Great Box-String Tangle

Pretzelcat is the bendiest cat in the bakery, and very proud of it. Today, that turned out to be extremely useful.

6.30am. Every morning starts with a good long stretch. Pretzelcat tied into a knot, untied, and tied up again the other way, all before the first loaf was out of the oven. Then a neat landing on all four paws, and a little bow for nobody in particular.

8am. Up to the wooden pretzel rack in the front window, where the morning sun warms the salt. Someone walking a dog stopped to wave. Pretzelcat waved back with a paw, then with a tail, then with both at once.

10.30am. The trouble began. Someone had left the ball of string for the cake boxes on the counter, and Wafflecat had tried to help. Now the string went round the scales, under the till, twice round the rolling pin and halfway to the door. "Leave it with me," said Pretzelcat, who has never met a tangle that couldn't be sorted out.

11.15am. Still untangling. Bagelcat watched calmly from the chopping board and offered a jar of jam, just in case. Pretzelcat twisted under one loop, over another and through a gap nobody else could have fitted through. A few people in the queue started cheering.

12 noon. Done. One neat ball of string, back on its hook. Pretzelcat took a modest bow, then a slightly less modest second bow.

2pm. The afternoon queue was slow, and Pretzelcat got a little bit salty about it (never actually cross). Piecat hummed a tune to pass the time, and by the end of it Pretzelcat was smiling again.

5pm. Closing time. Pretzelcat went round the whole bakery giving everyone a hug, a bendy one, as always.

Pretzelcat's verdict on the day: one big tangle, one happy ending. Not bad for a Wednesday.

Come and meet Pretzelcat properly, or take a twist home with the Pretzelcat T-shirt from the shop.