Companion Animal Characters: The speaker Setting: A living room We’ll be away for a week. Unfortunately, she can’t come with us. You see, she’s a very beloved member of the family, and it’s the first time she’ll be left behind. That’s why I wanted to meet you in person, do a little trial run, discuss the details, and explain to you exactly what we need. And of course, you can tell me if you think this is something you can handle. She’ll be here shortly, she’s getting her hair done. By the way… your phone? Please keep it silent. Loud noises bother her. So, you’ll need to cook two meals a day. Ideally, something different each day. I’ve prepared a detailed meal plan, what she should eat on which day. She should go for a walk every afternoon. Sometimes she might not be in the mood. And if that happens, what do you do? (Silence) Don’t answer right away, think about it. When you go out, you’ll likely see others as well. Don’t stop to chat, and keep your distance. We really don’t want her to catch anything while we’re away. And another thing… You’ll send us photos and we’ll do a video call every afternoon, so we can see and hear each other. (Silence) Yes, right. If you see she’s very tired, don’t push her to go out. Ideally, you should eat at the same time as she does. If not, please don’t eat in front of her. She gets jealous, and she may forget her manners. We really don’t want that. We change her pajamas every other night. They’re arranged in the closet, you’ll see. She won’t trouble you at night. But you need to sleep next to her, in case she needs anything. We have a folding bed, it’ll do. Every time she looks at you, show enthusiasm and joy. That will help her open Do you have any questions? (Silence) Yes! She enjoys playing with her little ball. If you see she’s not in the mood to fetch it, you can get down on all fours, fetch it yourself, and bring it back to her. To conclude, you’ve got references, you’re cheerful and obedient… I think you’ll keep her lovely company. Curtain. About the Author Georgia Xanthopoulou lives in Athens. She writes poetry, prose, and plays. Her works have been published in English-language literary magazines. She studied English Literature and holds a PhD in Philosophy.
The companion (remains silent, does not utter a single word)
up. She’s generally quite shy.
