Another Tale from England,

Taken from the U.K. News,

This One a Tad Happier Than,

Little Andy’s, Little Birdy Blues

“Macavity’s a Mystery Cat: he’s called the Hidden Paw,

For he is the master criminal, who can always defy the Law.

He’s the bafflement of Scotland Yard, the Flying Squad’s despair:

For when they reach the scene of a crime - Macavity’s not there!”

T. S. Eliot,

Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats

There’s been a recent string of robberies

At an old established fish and chips shop

Scotland Yard remains completely baffled

And they’ve been working on this non-stop

A very crafty cat has been mysteriously spotted

On the Number 331 Bus for several months now

He always boards it at precisely the right moment

And always knows just where to get off somehow

He can be seen most mornings on old Churchill Road

At a stop in front of a row of old semi-detached homes

Bus drivers on this Walsall to Wolverhampton bus line

Have nicknamed him ‘Macavity’ after T.S. Eliot’s poem

And each and every time Macavity is spotted ridin the bus

A shopkeeper reports another batch of missin fish and chips

But by the time police squad cars come racing to the scene

This extremely crafty cat burglar has already given them the slip

No one really knows where this cunning old cat burglar comes from

Or why he’s now decided to make his getaways on an old English bus

But those who have come to admire him can smell fish on his whiskers

And say he’s a real gentleman, sittin quiet as a mouse, never makin a fuss

Bus drivers on the 331 line have nicknamed this very clever white cat ‘Macavity,’ and since January, when he first started riding the bus, he’s done it two or three times a week, and he always manages to time his getaways perfectly.

A regular passenger who catches the Number 331 to work, said: "I first noticed Macavity a few weeks ago.  At first I thought he had been accompanied by his owner, but after the first stop it became quite clear that he was on his own.

"He sat at the front of the bus, waited patiently for the next stop, and then got off.  It was quite strange at first, but now it just seems normal.  And I suppose he is the perfect passenger really - he sits very quietly, minds his own business, and then gets off when he feels the need."

A most clever cat burglar,

This modern day Macavity,

He even gets to ride,

The #331 – for free

©2007, Mr. Ed