BESS (Gypsy Cat 2)

Last night my cat hopped onto my desk, took a seat then proceeded to lean her head between my eyes and the computer screen.
“Bess,” I muttered, “I’m trying to play FreeCell and your lil’ ol’ noggin’s in the way.”
Bess said simply, “I wish to be addressed as El Predatore.”
“Whaa---?” I asked before lapsing into brief confusion. “Say that again.”
“I wish to be addressed as El Predatore,” she repeated as simply as the first time.
“Bess,” I began, but she was not amused. “El Predatore isn’t a real word. ‘El Depredador’ is the Spanish translation for ‘The Predator’. Anyway, El is masculine. La would be feminine.”
Bess stood her ground. “I wish to be addressed as El Predatore,” she glared resolutely.
I leaned back in my chair. “El Predatore”, I sighed. “I’m trying to play FreeCell and your lil’ ol’ noggin is in the way.”
She raised her chin in haughtily triumphant satisfaction then with a turn she hopped off the desk.
That was the first time I heard her exhibit the power of human speech. But not the last. For she spoke again. Later.

(2004)