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“Meoooowwwwwww.”

“Damn it.” I’m up. You better shut up or I’ll beat you!” He grabs for a pillow.

“Meoooowwwwwww. Meoooowwwwwww.”

Alex slides the door open and the cat comes out. He whacks him on the ass with a pillow and the cat scurries under the bed.

“One more word out of you and you’re out the door. I have to work in the morning.” The red numbers on the clock read 4:00.

Alex dresses. He slept, now he’s running late. He picks up the worksheets for his students and places them by his bag. The cat screams for food and he feeds him. He feeds himself, two vitamins, a slice of sandwich bread, a glass of water. He feed the plants quickly as well, a cup of water each. They aren’t doing well. Both are turn-ing yellow. Not much light in the apartment. The cat screams at the door.

“You want out?”

“Meow.”

He lets him out.

“You better shit while you’re out there.”

The cat flops on the sidewalk in front of the door and rolls in the warm spot where the sun streams down.

“I’m leaving in a few minutes. You better hurry up. If you’re not back inside by the time I’m leaving, you stay out.”

“Meow.” Recumbent, he stretches his paws out. He’s grinning.