Story 99: Reza Shadey and the Great Pancake Plot
Okay, snuggle down tight, little ones. Let me tell you a tale about Reza Shadey — a very serious Persian cat who believed Pancake Day was the perfect chance to prove his genius.
That morning, Mrs Higgins knelt beside him and smiled. "Reza", she said kindly, "why don't you be my helper today and keep me company while I make pancakes?"
Reza's emerald eyes gleamed. Helper? Oh, he could do better than that. He would lead the operation.
"Indeed, Mrs Higgins!" he purred. "Leave it to me — I shall ensure everything runs with optimal efficiency!"
As soon as she turned her back, Reza leapt to the kitchen counter and began to plan. Pancakes were serious business — and clearly, he needed a team. He padded over to the cat flap, puffed up his chest, and let out a grand yowl that echoed through the garden.
"Comrades! Assemble for the Great Pancake Plot!"
Moments later, three familiar faces appeared. Penelope, a neat white cat from next door, trotted in gracefully. Behind her came Ginger Tom, slow and sleepy from his usual post by the shed. And bouncing in last, vibrating with excitement, was Tiger. "A plot? Is it a bouncy plot? Can I pounce on the plot?"
Reza flicked his tail. "Welcome, associates! Mrs Higgins herself has entrusted me with the creation of the perfect pancake. I, of course, shall direct the operation. But such genius requires loyal assistants!"
Penelope blinked politely. "Assistants?"
"Indeed!" said Reza, unfurling what looked suspiciously like a scrap of Mrs Higgins's newspaper. "You, Penelope, are gifted with balance and poise. Only your elegant paws can achieve the Architectural Integrity of the Ovoid Casing!"
Penelope tilted her head. "You mean... crack the eggs?"
"Exactly! But with scientific precision", said Reza. "You are the Chief Egg-Cracking Consultant!"
Penelope purred proudly, tail high.
Then Reza turned to Ginger Tom, who was already sitting down.
"Tom, my reliable friend! You shall undertake the most critical mission of all — the retrieval of the Maple Syrup! It lies deep within the Garage Vault."
Tom opened one eye. "Garage Vault? It's cold in there."
"A mission of courage and honour!" said Reza. "And upon your triumphant return, you shall receive twenty uninterrupted minutes of radiator time!"
Tom stretched. "Deal." And out he went, trudging through the cat flap. With his two most reliable assistants dispatched, Reza turned to his final, most energetic recruit.
"Tiger!" Reza announced, his voice dropping to a serious whisper. "Your mission is perhaps the most crucial! Pancakes require... fluffiness! An airy lightness!"
Tiger bounced. "I'm airy! I'm light!"
"Precisely! You shall be our 'Chief Kinetic Fluff-generator'! You must run around the garden — fast! As fast as you can! This will... erm... charge the air with bouncy energy, which will flow into the kitchen and make our pancakes magically light! Do not stop until I give the signal!"
Tiger gasped, his eyes wide with the importance of the mission. "Charging the air! Like a superhero! YES, REZA!" And with a ZOOOM, he vanished back into the garden, a blur of happy, kinetic stripes.
Reza grinned to himself. "Excellent delegation", he murmured.
Penelope worked very hard, tapping each egg with great care. Tap-tap... "Too soft." Tap-TAP! "Too hard." Bits of shell went flying, but she was determined to get it right.
Meanwhile, poor Ginger Tom wrestled with the syrup bottle in the chilly garage. The lid was tight, the bottle sticky, and a strange rubber band clung stubbornly to it. After much batting and pawing, he finally rolled it back — sticky, tired, but triumphant.
When he arrived, Mrs Higgins was already whisking the batter herself, using the eggs Penelope had finally cracked. The pan sizzled — FZZZ! — and the sweet smell filled the kitchen.
Just then, Tiger zoomed back in, panting and covered in leaves, but beaming with pride. "I did it, Reza! The air is super-charged! Are they fluffy?" Mrs Higgins, looking slightly baffled but amused, set four small pieces of warm pancake on a plate.
Reza hopped down proudly. "AHEM! Mrs Higgins!" he announced. "The Great Pancake Plot has succeeded! Penelope ensured the structural balance, Tom secured the vital sweetness, and I... orchestrated it all!"
Mrs Higgins looked at Penelope, who was dusted in flour and eggshells, then at Ginger Tom, sticky and sleepy by the radiator. She smiled gently and said, "Well then, my clever helpers, you've certainly earned a taste."
Reza devoured his immediately. "Magnificent!" he declared. "Though next time, Tom should improve syrup retrieval efficiency, Penelope must aim for shell-free cracking, and Tiger... well, Tiger can generate even more fluffiness. But still — another flawless success for the team!"
Penelope, Tom, and Tiger looked at each other, smiled, and quietly enjoyed their pancakes. Reza sat tall and proud, already dreaming of his next "brilliant" plan.
And that was how Reza Shadey, the self-proclaimed genius, got his Pancake Day treats — and made sure everyone else did all the work.
Night night. Sleep tight.