"-- no, looking at the sign: cats couldn't read maps or signs."

[Doreen Rich]

If I were not a Harry Potter fan, and I had not found great amusement 
from the part of the first chapter, when Vernon Dursley saw 
McGonagall as the cat, reading the map and reading the sign... 
perhaps the story my daughter told me would not have been as funny as 
I thought it was. I had to share it ... hope you get a chuckle.

My daughter's friend, Beth, has twin daughters, age five. The two 
girls each have a cat. The girls' favorite past-time is dressing up 
the cats in doll clothes. (not the cats' favorite)

The cats had discovered a torn screen in the basement, which they 
liked to sneak out of the house through. Beth was not aware that the 
cats had found this escape route, until her husband, laughing 
hysterically, called her to the front door to look outside. There, 
walking down the street, were the two cats, dressed in shirts, pants, 
and hats, acting as if this was every cat's normal attire for taking 
strolls outside. 

Beth, who is very Dursley-like, thank you very much, did not think 
this was the least bit funny! She was totally embarrassed, especially 
when she realized that her neighbors were finding the sight almost as 
amusing as her husband did. By then, he was leaning against the 
doorpost, nearly in tears from laughing so hard!

When my daughter told me this story, all we could do was sit there 
and giggle! 

Doreen, who would give anything to have been there to witness the 
sight in person.