Companions in Los Angeles: Joe & Max

Joe was a stray cat. He lived on the streets of Los Angeles, eating what he could and running from other cats who would attack him for food or his territory.

Max was also a stray cat. She had been born in the city, but when she was 3 months old, her owner moved away. She wasn't adopted by any of the families who lived in the apartment building above hers, so she stayed on her own for about 6 years.

One day, Joe was out scavenging for scraps when he saw a woman carrying a box into an alleyway. He tensed up and began to creep towards the alley. Suddenly, Max appeared from behind him and jumped onto his back. Joe let out a yowl and started to run away from her, but she dug her claws into his back and refused to let go. The two of them ran down the street together, with Max hanging onto Joe's back for dear life. After a few minutes of this, Joe stopped running and turned around. "What do you want?" he asked Max angrily as he tried to knock her off of him.

"I want to be your friend," said Max softly. "You're not doing very well on your own."

Joe looked at her incredulously, then gave up trying to get rid of her and plopped down onto the sidewalk instead. "I don't need your pity," he muttered grumpily. "I'm just fine on my own."

"Yeah, right," said Max dryly as she hopped down onto the sidewalk next to him. "Everybody knows that all you cats are just starving all the time." She sat quietly for a moment before looking over at Joe curiously and asking, "Are you really alive?"

"What? Of course I am!" said Joe angrily, puffing up his tail in offense.

"No, seriously," said Max insistently. "The people who are kind enough to leave food out for us look at us like we aren't even real animals sometimes! They act like we aren't even there!" She sighed sadly and looked down at the ground for a moment before raising her head again and saying determinedly, "Well I'm here! I'm real! And I won't let anyone forget it!"

Joe eyed her thoughtfully for a minute or two before he finally decided that she seemed nice enough and relaxed slightly as he replied simply, "Yes, I'm alive."

Max glanced over at him quickly before turning back to look ahead once more and nodding slightly. Then they sat quietly together in silence while they waited for someone to make something edible appear again so they could share it in friendship with each other.