Dear Nameless Feline Friend,

Though we have only known each other for a few days (2 days, to be exact), I already sense a psychic connection between us. I'm sure the feeling is mutual. For on Wednesday morning when I encountered you on the way to my 10:20 German class, you seemed to recognize me, and bounded over, tail up high in the air, to nudge your head against my leg.

You also did the same thing to the next five people who walked by, but that's no matter. Obviously, I am special.

Since we share such an important connection, and you permitted me to scratch behind your ears after 2 minutes of kneeling down and cooing, I'd say we have achieved a high enough level of friendship to unlock each other's Tragic Character Backstories. I'll go first.

I'm from Corona, California, the Land Without Seasons, a little south of Los Angeles. We're currently in something like our 100th year of drought. When I came to Portland and saw water falling from the sky I thought the world was going to end. I have two younger sisters and two dogs, which are kind of like my sisters but not really because they're furry and have no thumbs.

Ah, sorry if that offends you, I forgot. Thumbs aren't all that important anyway.

I came to Portland because both of my parents went to school here. And my aunt. And two of my cousins. And my step-uncle-in-law twice-removed, but we don't really talk about him all that much and I'm not entirely sure if he exists.

I had a relatively good childhood. I believed in Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny and Krampus and the superiority of blue M&Ms and all that. I'm highly superstitious too — never Macbeth in a movie theatre, never step on a crack in the sidewalk, never allow a black cat to cross your path ...

Oh, yikes, sorry! Well, I mean, you're more like grey, right? Either way, it's an antiquated stereotype and I should have known better. My bad.

I must be boring you. Anyway, how's life been treating you so far? Where are you from? Do you have any family in the area? How are you liking the rain?

I wonder where you live. Maybe it's somewhere on campus. Do you sleep over in the bushes near Mehling? Or maybe under one of the benches by the library. Where do you go when it rains? Where do you get food? Are you on a meal plan? Which one? The food in the Commons is pretty great, am I right?

How long have you been here? Freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior? What major? Are you religious or nah? Do you miss your family?

By the way, you're like really pretty. Your coat is really soft, I wish I could buy one like that. You know, maybe not exactly like that, not one made out of skinned cats or anything, oh gosh, but just a nice fake fur jacket ...

Man, I'm sorry, is this getting weird? I'm not all that good at talking to people, I tend to talk too long and ask too many questions and it just gets too weird. But, I mean, hey, cats don't tend to judge too much, right?

Hey, don't look at me like that. Jeez.

Well, I have class in a few minutes, but it's been nice talking to you. My parents say I should just be myself and people will like me for who I am and be my friend, so hopefully talking to you was good practice! I hope we can be good friends! We have a psychic connection, after all.

See you later, Nameless Feline Friend!

Sincerely,

Maddie