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Once upon a time, there was a tiny tabby cat named Clyde. Clyde 

had spent his entire life living in a small, old café run by a tiny old 

woman named Marie. Marie let Clyde and his older brother, Benji, 

live in the café with free food, as long as they caught all of the mice 

for her. Unfortunately, Clyde was not one for catching mice. He was 

too tiny and clumsy. Benji, on the other hand was a big, strong 

tomcat. He flourished while hunting and Marie was always pleased 

with Benji. 

Clyde, on the other hand, always seemed to be making a mess of things. 

He’d knock over cups of tea, make paw prints through croissant dough, 

and leave a trail of cat fur everywhere he went. Benji would frequently 

laugh at him and exclaim, “Why little baby brother! You’ve gone and 

mucked everything up again!” Even Marie would seem to tire of Clyde’s 

clumsiness. She’d sigh at him and say quietly, “Oh Clyde. Not again 

dear.” Clyde hated to disappoint Marie, but what could he do? He 

couldn’t help making mistakes and he couldn’t help being a bad mice-

hunter. Most days Clyde felt like a fish out of water living in the café with 

Marie and Benji. He wondered if he would ever find a place where he felt 

he belong. 

On a day when Clyde was feeling particularly in the dumps 

about getting tangled in the phone chord and being laughed at 

for hours by Benji, a strange man came to visit the café. He 

was dressed head to toe in black and had a dark cap pulled 

dangerously low over one eye. Peeking out from under the cap 

was a long scar that appeared to stretch across the man’s 

whole face. Everything about the man’s appearance should 

have told Clyde to keep away, but there was something 

intriguing about him that drew Clyde to sneak up closer to the 

man. As soon as he was near enough, Clyde could smell the 

man’s strong odor of salt and fish and knew immediately he 

must be a seafaring gentleman.   Clyde became even more 

intrigues and decided to get closer to the man. Unfortunately, 

right as Clyde made that decision, Marie came walking up with 

a hot mug of tea. As he was known to do, Clyde darted under 

Marie’s feet and the hot tea was sent flying past the man’s 

table. 

With her signature small, disappointed sigh, Marie stooped low to pick 

up the mug. “I’m sorry sir, my poor cat’s not much for living in a 

café.” With a rough laugh and a voice that sounded like sandpaper 

mixed with honey the man called out, 

“It’s no problem! Poor thing just needs to get rid of his sea legs!” 

Clyde knew right away that this man would never laugh at him for 

missing a mouse or two… or fifteen. Without giving himself a chance 

to change his mind, Clyde lept up onto the man’s table and began 

purring away. 

“Why! I think my little Clumsy Clyde likes you!” Marie exclaimed. 

The man just chuckled and began to pet Clyde’s head. “I doubt so 

much it’s me he likes as it is the smell of the sea.” 

Marie shook her head softly and said, “You know, maybe that is why. 

Clyde’s always been a bit of a fish on land around here.”

The man peered at Clyde with soft blue eyes and said softly, “Maybe 

the little lad just isn’t made for dry land. Some of us aren’t, you 

know.” Marie laughed and exclaimed “Well! He’s rubbish at catching 

mice, but if you want to take him aboard a ship, you’re more than 

welcome to have a go.”

Clyde’s ears twitched at the bitterness in Marie’s voice and he tried to 

ignore Benji laughing quietly. He really didn’t belong in this café with 

the pair of them. So with a brave look, he glanced at the man and 

gave a quick meow. The man smiled and spoke as if just to Clyde, 

“Well, looks like that might be a yes for the little guy. Can’t wait to get 

you aboard the ship, you can call me Captain.”

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