Something A Lot Like Love - A Getting There Story

Something Like Love - A Getting There Story

David stared up at the Florida night sky. Ellen sat to his right. They both smoked cigarettes on the balcony of Ellen's temporary Delray Fucking Beach residence. Rachel's cat was curled up in Ellen's lap. Ellen scratched the fur of the cat's head as he purred in contentment. David took a drag of his cigarette as Ellen talked to the cat.

"You're a great kitty Sharpie," she whispered to the cat, whose name was Sharpie. "Sweet, sweet boy. I love you so, so much."

David exhaled cigarette smoke, his eyes remaining fixed on the night sky.

"Do you really?" he asked Ellen. "Love him, I mean?"

Ellen looked over to David with a mildly perplexed look. She was likely wary of his question, he figured. Probably assumed this was more of his bullshit.

"I mean," Ellen began. "I guess. He is pretty cute."

David genuinely chuckled.

"So that's what it takes?" he asked sarcastically while putting his cigarette up to his lips for another drag. "I guess I love half the chicks that walk down Atlantic Ave."

Ellen rolled her eyes while she continued to scratch Sharpie's head. This was definitely more of his bullshit.

"Come on," she began. "He's a friggin cat. You pet him, you tell him you love him and he keeps your lap company."

"If he's a lap cat anyway," David said. "Not all of them are."

Ellen squeezed Sharpie's face and put her nose to his, speaking in a childish tone.

"But this boy sure is," she fawned. "This cat is all up in my lap, yes you are. A cat for my lap. A pussy for my pussy."

David laughed slightly. Sharpie, meanwhile, repositioned himself. He placed his two front paws on Ellen's chest, urging her to lean back in her chair. He sniffed her chin as his front legs rested between her cleavage.

Ellen began to lightly laugh. She looked to David, who turned his head to look at her. She looked back to Sharpie and maintained the childish voice as she spoke.

"Oh look at this," she said, elongating the 'oh.' "Now I have a kitty on my titty. Oh my titty may be itty bitty but at least I have this kitty pity."

David laughed, sincerely. Ellen laughed at herself, and at Sharpie, of course. He was an excellent setup man.

"I love cats," Ellen said after the laughter had subsided, now in her normal voice. "What you asked earlier, that is. It's probably more accurate to say I just love cats."

Sharpie retreated back to Ellen's lap and curled up. She continued to scratch his head and took a drag from her cigarette. David glanced over at her for a moment, look a drag from his cigarette and looked out at the sky once more.

"What do you think makes us say that?" he asked. "That we love something or someone I mean."

Ellen contemplated for a moment before answering.

"I don't know," she said. "Probably not what you were looking for, but it's the truth."

David nodded in understanding.

"Fair," he said.

Sharpie got up from Ellen's lap and ran inside. David figured, as a cat, he had no interest in existential conversations about love and such.

"What do you think?" Ellen asked.

David raised his cigarette to his lips once more.

"I don't know," he said with a slight smirk. "Guess I don't really think about it that much."