exercisms | Dorothy Catchall

I believe two somebodies are meant to be in here.

... Rather, if you didn't think someone would be here, why did you knock?

[ Just. It seems like something someone wouldn't bother to do if they thought they'd be alone. ]

Just. In case I got the wrong room?

[Because he has anxiety, Dorothy.]

Well, there's always one way to tell.

[ Honey, you're too young for anxiety. ]

[He's in middle school, the perfect age. But he can't tell what she's getting at.]

There is?

I'll close the door. The way it seems to work is that the devices we were given will only unlock our own room. So--

[ She dips into a teasing curtsy. ]

Give it a go!

[ And Dorothy just calmly shuts the door in his face. ]

[Oh, okay. Trying his device on the room. It clicks open.]

. . . Is it a mistake? This is yours, though.

There are two beds. I don't think I'd take up that much room to require such a thing.

So it appears that we're to be roommates!

[ This poor kid. ]

Roommates?

[He's turning a little red.]

But you're a lady. Don't you need privacy?

[He has a tone that suggests he sees her as older than she actually is.]

Being a young lady of only twenty--

[ Wow, the steel and sweetness in her voice. ]

I promise I won't be parading about in only a towel or any such thing. It should be fine.

[Getting very embarrassed at the implication she'd be walking around in a towel.]

If you don't mind. Though I could sleep someplace else, if you wanted.

I'm not about to kick someone out without good reason.

[ And so, she extends her hand to him. ]

Welcome to the room, Shigeo.

Thanks.

[He shuffles in, so, so awkward. He'll try to not take up too much space, but happens to check the bed, and the closet, too see if his phone turned up?

And a white cat comes streaking out of the closet, darting out the open door.]

Ah! Your cat! I'm sorry, I'll go find him!

[ At the same time-- ]

How did a cat get in there??

It wasn't yours?

[Something about that white cat looked familiar to him, but it can't be the same cat, so he pushes the thought away.]

Maybe it belongs to the owners?

What a strange place for it to decide to take a nap... hopefully its owners weren't too worried about it.

[ Why didn't you at least meow, cat-- ]

I hope not. Why would they leave her in a closet?

Cats tend to find themselves where they shouldn't be. It might just be how they are.

[Nodding.]

Do you think we should try to catch her? She might be hiding.

We can certainly try, but then we still don't know who her owners are. What would we do with her then?

[ She's not sure keeping her in here would be a good idea. ]

Mm.

[He gives a worried look at the door but it makes sense.]

She probably doesn't want to be trapped in here.

Why don't we do this? We can ask around to see if she belongs to anyone, but we could probably also set out some food for her.

[ Since he seems pretty worried about this cat. ]