Something Squirrelly this Way Comes

I get up this morning and the first thing my mom whispers to me (she's been hoarse and not able to talk above a whisper since Wednesday) is, "Did you have chicken noodle soup?"
"What?"
"Did you have chicken noodle soup last night?"
"Noooo we went out to eat at Bob Evans for dinner last night..."
"I know that. I mean after you went to bed. Did you get back up and have chicken noodle soup?"
"Nope," I say as I shake my head and finish coming down the stairs. "Didn't get up and have any soup in the middle of the night."
"There's an empty can in the sink. I wonder if dad (yes, she calls my dad 'dad') had some for breakfast."
"Could be. You sure it's not from lunch yesterday?"
"I already took that can out to recycling."
"Is it from when dad had chicken noodle soup the other day?"
"No," she says testily, "I already took that can out too."
"Ooookay. So what's the big deal? Maybe dad took it for lunch. Are you rationing the chicken noodle soup? Is there a shortage somewhere I don't know about?"
"No. I just want to know where the can came from."
"Okay. Maybe the boys (our two cats) had it."
She heaves a put upon sigh and shakes her head. What does she expect from me? I mean sarcasm is my forte and I hadn't even had coffee yet.

About twenty minutes later I think she asks me, "Do you have a gas in your thermos?"

And yes, I look at her oddly, trying to figure out what the heck she's talking about. Finally I just respond with, "What? A gas thermos??" Give me some credit here folks, it's hard to understand someone when she's across the room and whispering to you.

"No. I said Dad must've had it for breakfast since we don't have a thermos."
"Sure," I say as I nod and smile. "Why don't you ask him when he calls?"

This was all before 10 am. The case is still open. Too bad I didn't get a fingerprint kit for my birthday, I could rule out the cats straight away. As it is, they're shifty enough to have planted the can to throw my mom into a tizzy.

The fact that I've refrained from calling my dad and telling him to deny all knowledge of a suspicious soup can shows world class restraint on my part. If I could've figured out a way to get my brother involved, I would have. :)