Raul, the rat, is bored out of his mind alone at home.

He starts to walk back and forth, impatient.

Raul (annoyed): Ahg, screw it!

He runs out.

Jason´s backyard.

Raul sneaks into Jason´s backyard looking for Francis but he´s nowhere to be seen.

He nears the back window and finds it open.

Raul (to himself): don´t mind if I do…

He enters the house and starts to look around for his feline friend.

Raul (cont.): Hello? Francis? Are you home?

Nothing.

Raul (sys annoyed): ah balls…

As he turns and is about to leave a sweet odor reaches him.

Raul (curious): oh my… what is this?

Francis´s rodent friend is guided by his senses to an open bottle of wine, forgotten on the kitchen table.

Raul looks to the sides to see if there is anyone around.

He manages to get on a box near a stool and then makes his way up to the kitchen table where the bottle awaits him.

He looks at it salivating and closes his eyes dreaming of the wonderful liquid he´s about to drink.

He gives it a nudge but the bottle is heavy and remains still.

He tries again, and again until he´s so out of breath he´s about to faint.

He drops to the table exhausted.

Raul (upset): Crap! Where the hell is Francis when I need him?

He gets up and looks at the bottle once more biting his lip, angry at himself.

Raul: Goodbye, delicious beverage. I hope to see you again someday.

The rat decides to give up and go back home.

He wasn´t able to get his yummy drink and his feline friend is nowhere in sight so he better return before his wife gets home and kills him for disappearing.

Instead of getting back down same way he got up he decides to hang on to the kitchen towel and slide back down.

Things don´t go as planned and the kitchen towel slides and the bottle drops, spilling its content on the table.

Raul reaches the floor and is unaware of what he just caused until the wine starts to slowly pour on his head.

Raul (looks up): what the…?

As he realizes that the wine is falling on top of him, he opens his mouth and starts to drink.

Raul (cont.): don´t mind if I do…

Latter…

Raul comes out of Jason´s house, he´s groggy and incredibly drunk.

He stumbles on a rock but continues to walk.

Raul: oops, sorry Miss, I didn´t see you there… Good day.

He continues to walk and as he reaches the fence in Jason´s backyard and is about to exit the garden he starts to hear wings flapping.

Raul (looks up): oh the angels…

Rafael (lands): Angels? What the hell are you talking about?
Raul: oh it´s just you.
Rafael: Jee, thanks…

Raul: You are very (hiccup) welcome…
Rafael (thrown by the smell): Jesus Christ!
Raul: oh I´m sorry, you must have me confused with someone else, my name is Raul.
Rafael: I know that!

Raul (clueless): Then what?
Rafael: did you have to bathe in the stuff?

Raul: this? Oh it just fell on me.
Rafael (suspicious): fell on you?
Raul: yes.
Rafael: Fell on you? Are you sure that crazy cat wasn´t marinating you to cook you afterwards?

Raul: no. He wasn´t home.
Rafael: And you just barged in and took a dip in wine?
Raul (sys annoyed): Francis is right! You are annoying!

Rafael: Oh no you didn´t!
Raul: didn´t what?
Rafael: You didn´t just agree with that crazy ass cat!
Raul: oh yes I did! What´re you going to do about it?

Rafael: Nothing. Why didn´t you call me, I would´ve gone with you.
Raul (smiling defiantly): You wanted some as well, didn´t you?
Rafael: Of course! You know, at least Francis shares.

Raul (confused): shares what?
Rafael: the stuff.
Raul: what stuff?
Rafael: the stuff you just drank you crazy ass rat!

Raul: You are very rude.
Rafael: I´m rude? You´re drunk off your ass!
Raul: RUDE!

Rafael stars to smile.

Raul: why are you smiling?
Rafael: because Rosa is going to kill you.
Raul: sadist. (rethinks): Why is she going to kill me?
Rafael: because you´re drunk of your ass. You reek of alcohol and you seriously need to bathe.

Raul: you truly are a cruel friend.
Rafael: what did I do?
Raul: Help me… (hiccup) please!

Rafael: what do you want me to do?
Raul: keep me company till the wears off.
Rafael: what wears off? The smell or the hangover?
Raul: Both?

Rafael: isn´t this more of a Francis thing?
Raul: what Francis thing?
Rafael: this!
Raul: you suck as a friend!

Raul turns his back to Rafael, leaving the bird fuming.

Rafael: you´re the one who sucks!
Raul (turns back): I suck? What did I do?

Suddenly, Raul starts to smile.

Rafael (about no argue): You… (realizes) why are you grinning?

He turns back and finds Francis standing incredibly near him.

Cat (opens eyes wide): BOO!
Rafael (unfazed): Now you show up?
Cat (confused/disappointed): what?

Rafael: Raul entered your house, got drunk of his ass and now blames me!
Cat: who did the what now?
Rafael: You two deserve each other!
Cat: what did I do?

Rafael flies off.

Cat (to Raul who nears him): What´s gotten into him?
Raul: he got jealous.
Cat (ignores Raul´s response): why do you reek of wine?
Raul: oh yeah. I um… I went looking for you and I found…

Cat: an opened bottle of wine?
Raul: yes, sorry.
Cat: No problem. I was out with Jason so he can´t blame me, so all´s good.
Raul: You´re not mad?

Cat: mad about what?
Raul: I drank the wine that was…
Cat: So what? He has more you know…
Raul: yeah but…

Cat: don´t worry about it.
Raul: you really are nice.
Cat: you really need to bathe.
Raul: I know.

Cat: there´s a water fountain three houses down. It´s a long way but…
Raul: Oh I don´t mind, thank s for the tip.
Cat: sure.

Raul: bye Francis.
Cat: Bye.

Francis enters his house through the kitchen door and finds Jason cleaning the wine off of the floor.

The sneaky cat just sits there starring at Jason, taunting him.

Jason (looks at Francis, annoyed): You know, if you hadn´t spent the afternoon with me at the office I would think you´re the one who did this.

Cat (smiling): I didn´t.
Jason: come here you crazy cat.

Jason picks Francis up and starts petting him.

Jason: do you want some?

Francis just smiles, happy.

Cat: You know me too well.

The end.

2019_ Joana Teixeira.