"--Don't you know talking cats don't exist!?"

Joe didn’t say anything. He just lay with his hands over his eyes tensely.

"Hey I was once like you too. Now I just play all the time. Its much more fun."

Joe abruptly sat up. "What is it with you and playing? What do you want with me?"

"Oh I don’t know you just seemed stressed out to me that’s all. I just thought I’d be nice and invite you out. There really is no reason you should have to stay cooped up inside all day long."

"I have to work! That’s why! Look, you--" He pointed his claw-like finger at the cat accusingly and stared blankly. He was trying to look tough like he had everything under control. Then he turned around and said in desperation, "Oh God you’re a talking cat!"

"I thought we already addressed this," said the cat. It licked itself some more and then jumped up on the picnic table next to Joe. "Do you still think you’re imagining me?"

No response.

"You haven’t gone mad, Joe. I really am here."

Joe flickered his hand at the cat, "No you aren’t!"

"Well, if I really am just in your head, than you’re the one doing this to yourself so don’t take it out on me."

Joe looked up with a confused look on his face. He just shook his head. "No, no, no. I’m getting back to work. You aren’t here. So there’s no problem."

With that he stood up and walked towards the back door. The cat followed him, flickering its tail as it scurried gracefully behind.

"Oh comon, Joe. I’ll just start scratching again and you won’t be able to work. The easiest solution here is to just give up and play with me. Hey its not that bad. Play is fun, really."

Joe kicked at the cat rapidly. The cat swiftly hopped out of the way, and then came from the other side.

"I mean what’s the worse that could happen? If I really am a hallucination, then you’ll only make it worse by denying it. You should seek help, Joe. Or better yet, listen to your hallucination. It might be some part of you that wants out--some part that wants to play!"

Joe started muttering something to himself. He was trying to block out the cat and keep his sanity.

"Or, If I am not a hallucination--and I promise you I’m not--then talking cats have surely been around before. I mean there must be some sort of scientific explanation for me, and you will learn more if you come with me--and play with me!"

They both stood just outside the door now. Joe was just standing still with his right hand rubbing his forehead, his neck curled towards his shoulder resting on his hand.

The cat was standing on its hind legs now. It was using hand motions--paw motions--to emphasize its arguments.

"Then again," said the cat, "my promise means nothing to you seeing as you don’t yet know for sure whether I’m a hallucination! You really just don’t know unless you see things through my eyes. And, yaknow, you might see things more like I do if you tried doing what I do--playing!"

Joe still wasn’t acknowledging anything the cat was saying.