MAYA

I always see her hanging around, and sometimes she would greet me, as though she has known me for a long time. From time to time, she follows me a short distance.

Then one day, about two weeks ago, she followed me right into my home, and made herself very, very comfortable. SCARY. She leaves when I leave for work...when I come home she is downstairs waiting for me.

She is small, but sounds big - as though she has a built-in amplifier. Quite loud in a quiet apartment. She is a mixed breed - bengal and tabby. Spots and stripes, orange and brown. 2mm of the left ear missing. Golden eyes. Temperamental, wild, probably flea-infested. Sweet sometimes, and most of the time she is well-behaved. Loves attention, and doesn't agree to share mine with anyone else - even a phone conversation is enough to set off her loudspeaker complaints. SHE LOVES TO NAG. And doesn't do anything about cockroaches - except look at it when it is dead.

I cut up a box and filled it with sand last week, and a few days ago I bought her a litter. She's got an enormous appetite. One week's supply of food gone in 4 days.

It took me some time to get her the right name. I call her MAYA.

She adopted me.