sickly me

on and off i haven't been eating well for the past month. it all catches up on me one day and the woman finds me gasping for breath in a corner of the room when she wakes up. with more efficiency than usual, they call a cab, bundle me in a blanket and take me to the emergency clinic at mount pleasant.

they thought i might resist the prolonged manhandling as i usually do, but i don't. i sit quietly in the woman's arms and she grows gradually more and more afraid.

at the clinic, the smell is overpowering. when i am let down to stretch my leg, i choose a spot underneath the visitor's chair as i watch sick animals come and go until the vet is ready to see me. the vet pegs me for a cat way over 10 years old and gives a preliminary diagnosis of respitory and renal malfunction. he recommends that i be hospitalised for various tests as well as to be put on a drip immediately to rehydrate the kidneys.

the woman is reluctant to leave me all alone in the cold strange place but hasn't much choice about it. they leave to join friends and the woman gets emotional there thinking about the empty spot on the study table where i lay claim.