It is a narrow alleyway, lined with garbage cans and dumpsters. A light flickers feebly at the back of the lane, which is blocked off by a chain fence. The sky is dark, but a vague hint of the moon peeps out from behind some clouds, enough to illuminate the lone door set in a dark brick wall. A forgotten she-dog paws away at an overturned garbage can.
Emanating from the murky shadows comes a low purr, almost a hiss. “Well, hello there darling…” An enormous cat steps out from the darkness. Two menacing green eyes stare out of a thick forest of black fur, fixing on the dog and meandering up and down her body, as if examining a cut of meat. The cat plops his huge bottom on the wet ground, gingerly lifts his front right paw, which is coloured white in contrast to his dark coat, and begins licking it.
The dog is startled and leaps back, stumbling on a garbage can in the process and trapping herself between the fence and the giant cat.
“Hello cat”, squeaks the dog. “I didn’t see you there. I was only looking for dinner, that’s all.”
“Mmmmmm. Dinner.” The cat saunters slowly towards the garbage can, swishing his tail back and forth, and brushes the nose of the she-dog ever so lightly before peering into the overturned can. Turning to the dog and standing on his two back legs, the cat begins cleaning his claws. “Tut tut tut. This is no meal for a fine specimen like yourself. What if I were to say to you that I know of an excellent place, quite close by, that has delectable left-over fish heads?” Still backed up against the fence, the dog’s body hardly
relaxes as she cocks her head. The cat scratches his chin for a moment. “Ah, and a lovely chilled Russian vodka as well.”
Finally, her little dog eyes light up. “You would take me to this place? But look at me! My fur is matted and wet; I must smell worse than the dumpster that I sleep beneath.”
“Nonsense, nonsense, my dear. We’ll have you dried off in no time. A cocktail, made just right of course, to take away the chill, and a dinner fitting for one like you. Right this way, please follow me, my darling.” And with that, the feline charmer turns around neatly and steps up to the door directly behind him. He casts a villainous look back at the she-dog, but she fails to notice. A sign, barely visible above the door, reads ‘Pierre’s Hair Salon: Rear Entrance’. [G.M. Giacomelli]