These Teeth, Your Face: The Story of Cabby
I bet you told her not to bring back a cat. That there better not be a cat here when you get home. Don't know exactly what you said, but know you said something. Something that you hoped would keep me from ever coming here. Something you said before I showed up in your kitchen but that you won’t dare say now. Could see it in your eyes the moment my head popped out of the box. I’ve seen those kinds of eyes before.
You can't bring yourself to say you don’t like me, but you do say how you don’t like my name. I can see you shaking your head when she tells you what it is. So I just keep pacing back and forth across the kitchen floor, letting you know I don’t care and looking for pats, while you keep asking her to repeat it. Over and over. Repeat it until you’re finally sure you heard her right and can say it’s stupid. Just a really stupid name for a cat. That I would be getting a new one, immediately.
Whatever.
I’ve had lots of names and the one you give me will be stupid too. Don’t think you’re so special. All that matters is that you know I’m going to bite you.
And I will bite you.
But first her, because she’s closest. Bite her as she sits on the floor patting me for the first time. Surprise her with how vicious I can be and how we aren’t going to be friends after all. Bite her until she screams. Bite her in the back, as hard as I can, and then look up at you, and can tell you like it because you’re so easy to read. Can see you’d like to laugh but don’t. How you think this is exactly what she deserves for bringing me here after you told her not to. How I could keep biting her forever and you’d never stop me.
I bite her even though she's the one who saved me. I bite her to let you know I’m going to bite you too and you shouldn’t feel safe and I’ve only got to wait a little bit longer. Wait for you to bend over, which you will eventually do when you finally come say hello. Smiling and pretending you want me. Getting yourself close enough to realize I can also fuck up faces. Both of you screaming now and you with your hands over your eyes and blood running between your fingers.
Whatever.
What are you going to do about it? I already know you won’t do anything. That you’re like a book and it's clear you’d never let her bring me back to that horrible place. That even though you don’t really want me, I’m here to stay. That I can do whatever I want. Forever.
So, hello. My name is Cabby. Pleased to meet you. Now give me some food.