BONDING

"I DON'T ACCEPT YOUR VERSION OF BONDING, WRESTLING FOR FUN. I WANT TO BE LEFT ALONE. STARTING YOUR DAY WITH A LEAP UPON MY BACK IS NOT MY IDEA OF A WAKE UP CALL. I DON'T MISS YOU. WHO GAVE YOU PERMISSION TO MISS ME? TEENY, SCRAWNY, PATHETIC WAIF OF A REJECTED THING, DUMPED UPON MY KITCHEN FLOOR WITHOUT THE PRESENCE OF COMMON SENSE, HELL-BENT UPON PLAY - I REMEMBER. AND I WILL NEVER FORGIVE OR FORGET. I DON'T NEED YOU. I NEED THEM. WHY DO YOU NEED TO CHASE ME, EMBRACE ME, ENTICE ME TO RETURN YOUR PLAYFUL, MEAN SPIRIT? I WAS FIRST; I'M KITTY KING. UPSTARTS ARE SLAVES. BUT NOT YOU. IT NEVER ENDS WITH YOU. MY HISSES, GRUNTS OR FLIGHTS (WHAT WOULD YOU KNOW OR CARE ABOUT MY LOST MEOW) DON'T STOP YOU. WATER SPOUTS AND RAGING SHOUTS FROM THE MISTRESS ONLY TEMPORARILY PROVIDE ME RESPITE. TWO TERRIBLE YEARS NOW. GIVE ME A BREAK AS MY SECOND DECADE BEGINS. I NEVER GIVE YOU A THOUGHT. I LIVE TO EAT, SLEEP, PURR ON MY MASTER'S CHEST, GROOM AND UPCHUCK A HAIRBALL EACH DAY. WHO NEEDS TO PLAY? GO AWAY, 'JOY.' SIGNED, 'PHOENIX.'