Geschichte: Peace and Quiet

Bob lives on his own. He likes his life to be peaceful and quiet. He has a routine. Every day, he meditates for an hour after work. Then he cooks a healthy meal, and watches an episode of The Gardening Show on television. Finally, he listens to classical music and goes to sleep.

One day, Bob cooks a tuna steak. Soon, it is ready to eat. He sits down, and picks up the knife and fork. Then he hears a sound: a soft tap. Someone is at his door. It’s very unusual. All his neighbours know that Bob likes to be alone.

Bob gets up and opens the door. As soon as the door is open, something small runs inside. Bob sees that it is a kitten. The kitten sits on Bob’s chair.

“Get out!” says Bob.

He runs towards the kitten. He tries to catch it. But the kitten is too quick. It jumps around like a grasshopper. Now it is on top of the fridge. Then it is under the sofa, in the sink, on his bed. Bob chases the kitten everywhere.

Eventually, Bob is sweating. He sits down and eats his tuna steak. The kitten comes and sits on the table in front of him. Bob looks at the kitten. It is thin and it has only one ear. It has ginger fur and big, bright eyes.

“Fine!” Bob says.

He cuts a piece of the tuna steak and gives it to the kitten. The kitten eats it with delight.

Several months later, Bob arrives home in the evening. “Welcome to my flat,” he says. He is speaking to a woman. She comes inside with him.

“This is a lovely flat,” the woman says. “Do you have flatmates? Or do you live alone?”

“Not exactly alone,” says Bob.

Two cats come to meet them. Bob kneels down and strokes them. They pur. One of them has black fur, and the other has ginger fur.

Then, eight kittens run towards them. They all meow at once. They’re hungry.

“What are their names?” asks the woman. The meowing is so loud, she almost has to shout.

“This one is called Peace,” he says loudly, stroking the black cat. “And this one is called Quiet.” He strokes the ginger cat. The woman sees that it has only one ear.