[m i a o w] the cat

One of many conversations on Brunswick Street last night.
Girl calls boy on mobile phone.
“A terrible thing happened!”
Boy heaves sigh and prepares himself for the worst.
“What? What’s happened? Are you alright?”
“Yeah, I’m fine,” sighs the girl, “but…”
“..but??!” urges the boy.
“But I’ve found this amazing coat…and it’s amazingly expensive, but I have to have it.”
“Oh no,” says boy, sarcastically, “you’re right! That is terrible!”
Girl pouts as a tram goes past. The boy relents.
“OK, so how good is this coat? Is it just really really good? Or do you love it?”
“I love it!” shrieks the girl, “I would throw out all my other coats just to have it. And…they’re all in storage and I’m freezing.”
“OK,” says the boy, “we can probably live on rice for a little bit longer.”
Girl jumps with a combination of guilt and glee. Thanks the boy for being astoundingly forward thinking. Meets her friend. They go and check out the wonderful coat. On seeing it again, it’s lost some of the magic. Her friend says it’s good, but not that good. They leave the coat. Girl is curiously relieved. Cold. But relieved.