Francis, the cat, is in front of his house, waiting for Jason.

The Pen comes along.

Francis has a collar around his neck with a small tie hanging below his neck.

Pen (laughing): Ha! Ha! Ha! What´s with the get up?
Cat: what get up?

Pen: that thing hanging from your neck.
Cat (proud): I look spiffy, don´t I?
Pen: Do you even know what spiffy means?

Cat: Of course I do!
Pen: Have you been chewing the dictionary again?
Cat: NO! And what do you mean again?

Pen: Oh nothing…
Cat: No, you said again! That would imply I…

Finds the Pen grinning like an idiot.

Cat (cont.): You love messing with me, don´t you?
Pen: yes.
Cat: I hate you.

Pen: Any who… are you going to a parade or something?
Cat: I look good, don´t I?
Pen: Do you really want me to answer that?

Cat: shut up!
Pen: Hey! You were the one who asked me a question.
Cat: It was rhetorical.

Pen: what was?
Cat: The question.
Pen: so it was a question?

Cat (annoyed) Ahg! Shut up!
Pen: Ha! Ha! Ha!

Francis turns his back to the Pen.

Pen (angry): Oh no you don´t!
Cat: what?

The Pen doesn´t answer, just stares at Francis.

Cat (annoyed/cont.): what?
Pen (ignores the question): so, what are you doing here?
Cat: I live here.

Pen: I know that! I mean is here, outside, in front of the door, looking like that.
Cat: I´m going to work with Jason.
Pen: why?

Cat: I sometimes go with him.
Pen: and again I ask, why?
Cat: He´s making a presentation and he needs my assistance.

Pen: does this presentation have anything to do with a circus?
Cat: No! Why would you say that?
Pen: why else would he need to bring an example of a clown?
Cat (missing the insult): what clown?

The Pen remains silent and just smiles defiantly.

Cat (gets it/cont.): shut up!
Pen: You make it so easy.
Cat: stupid stick, I´m a cat. A fabulous, wonderful cat.

Pen: and incredibly humble.
Cat: face it! I´m amazing and Jason loves me.

Pen: Face it fur ball! In this particular case, you´re just an instrument. He´s using you.
Cat: You´re just jealous he´s leaving you home.
Pen: No, I´m not.

Cat: Oh no?
Pen (looks to the side/mumbling): No…
Cat: You know, I could be a nice kitty and smuggle you into his briefcase…
Pen: You´d do that?

Cat: yes.
Pen (suspicious): why?
Cat: do you want to come or not?
Pen: yes.

Francis enters the house and then looks back.

Cat: Are you coming or what?

The Pen smiles and follows Francis inside.

By the door, inside the house, on the floor is Jason´s briefcase.

Francis uses his paw to pry it open so the Pen can get in.

Pen: thank you Francis.
Cat: you´re welcome.

The briefcase closes.

Inside the briefcase, the Pen “gets comfortable” for the ride.

Pen (mumbling inside the briefcase/smiling): This way I can watch while you make an idiot out of yourself in that stupid get up!

Outside, Francis walks away and then stops, starring at Jason´s briefcase.

Cat: this way, I can conveniently “forget” about you at Jason´s work. Ha! Ha! Ha!

Inside the briefcase the Pen “flinches” as it hears Francis´s deviant laugh.

Suddenly, the Pen´s not as excited to go with them to work.

Pen: Francis? Hello? Francis, I´ve changed my mind. Hello? Francis? I don´t think I want to go anymore. Francis?

The end!

Pen: stupid fur ball get back here!
Cat: Ha! Ha! Ha!

2017_Joana Teixeira