The Stories Julian Tells

Ralph tells his sons he’ll order a catalog after Julian and Huey agree that they want to plant a garden. Not knowing what a catalog is, Huey asks Julian. Julian responds that a catalog is a book, and when you open it, cats come out and do garden work. Huey repeatedly says, “I don’t believe you,” and adds that he’s going to ask Ralph, but Huey changes his mind after Julian mocks him for not learning things on his own. Huey has a dream about the catalog cats helping paint the house, which Julian argues they wouldn’t do: “They don’t have a way to hold rags and paintbrushes” (19).

Each day, Huey asks Ralph if the catalog has arrived, and Ralph attributes it to Huey’s excitement for the garden. Huey has more dreams, including one in which the cats harvest a large squash, which Julian asserts is realistic.

Two weeks later, the catalog arrives; Huey is excited, but Julian wants to avoid the situation. Ralph, Julian, and Huey sit on the couch, flipping through the catalog, which features only pictures of produce. Upset, Huey asks about the cats.