SeanWard.org

The doorbell rings. It’s 11:00 p.m. Groggy, Alex opens the door. The catwoman stares up at him.

“Did you get my note?”

“Yes. I was going to call you tomorrow.”

“Well, did you get my phone message? I paged you. I left a phone message.”

“I’m tired.” She has to see I am tired.

“Well, what are you going to do about the cat?”

“I’m sure he’ll be okay.”

“Well if you don’t mind me asking, why is he outside?”

“I let him out earlier. I figured it was better that way.”

“Did he do something or…?”

“He screamed all night and he shit all over the carpet. I haven’t slept. I need to sleep.”

“So you just put him out? You didn’t show him his litter box?”

She is grating on his nerves. “He refuses to use it. I don’t think he’s ever seen one. He’s wild.”

“No. He’s somebody’s cat. He’s too friendly to be wild. Somebody dumped him. He needs a home.” Alex ignores the comment. I am tired. He tells her he needs to sleep. She wants him to take the cat to be neutered.

“If you can’t pay for everything at once, they’ll work out payments with you.”

He explains that he is not keeping the cat, and that he can’t afford the vet bill. At half price for every-thing including tests and shots it’s still almost a hundred dollars. She tries to make him promise to take the cat in and call her if it returns.