Elmer secretly feeds the alley cat

Elmer’s secret feeding of Old Alley Cat is the first sustained act of care in their friendship, and it brings kindness and punishment into the same household. When his mother refuses to give the cat milk, Elmer keeps feeding her anyway; discovery brings physical punishment and expulsion, but not an end to their bond.

Friendship and Refusal

Elmer and Old Alley Cat become friends after he shows concern for her. The cat is surprised that anyone would care about an old alley cat and hopes for a warm place by the furnace and a saucer of milk. Elmer offers both, but his mother refuses: she hates cats, especially old alley cats, and argues that feeding one stray would mean feeding every stray in town. Her objection turns a small act of hospitality into a conflict over whether Elmer will follow her command.

Elmer is saddened by his mother’s rudeness and apologizes to the cat. Rather than send her away, he tells her to stay and promises to find a way to bring her milk each day. The promise becomes a quiet routine: for three weeks, he feeds the cat despite his mother’s opposition.

Discovery and Punishment

The secrecy ends when Elmer’s mother finds the cat’s saucer in the cellar. She is extremely angry, whips Elmer, and throws Old Alley Cat out the door. The discovery makes the cost of his disobedience immediate, while the saucer itself stands as evidence of the care he has kept hidden. His mother’s response separates the two friends physically, but it does not make Elmer abandon the cat.

Later, Elmer sneaks out and finds Old Alley Cat again. Their reunion leads them to walk together in the park, where they try to think of pleasant things to talk about. The movement from a hidden saucer in the cellar to a shared walk outside gives their friendship room to continue after the household confrontation.

The Conversation About Flying

During the walk, Elmer says that when he grows up he wants an airplane and imagines being able to fly anywhere he chooses. Old Alley Cat asks whether he wants to fly very much. Elmer answers that he would do anything to fly. The exchange grows naturally from the trust established through his daily care: after Elmer has acted on the cat’s need, she listens to his own wish and begins to draw it out. The secret feeding therefore matters not only as an act of loyalty under pressure, but as the beginning of a conversation that turns their friendship toward the possibility of flight.