Alex met George on a bus ride. She was utterly exhausted after her day at work, and, to make matters worse, there were no seats available. Alex was practically hanging onto the handrail to avoid collapsing to the floor. With her relentless work hours, she would probably fall asleep right there if she hit the ground.
Noticing how tired she looked, George stood up from his seat and offered it to her. Alex was so grateful to him for this kindness. Soon after, the seat next to hers became free, and George sat beside her.
They didn’t even notice how quickly they began to chat. Alex shared that she worked as a daycare teacher, and, as luck would have it, both her colleague and the nanny fell ill at the same time, forcing her to cover double shifts.
– “I’m not exactly working in a factory, and it’s not a tough job per se, but by evening I’m so tired I can hardly make it home,” she explained to him.
– “Don’t be so sure,” George chuckled. “I can’t even imagine working with children. They’re like little monsters!”
Alex laughed.
– “I really love kids. They’re so genuine! And when they hug you so tightly… But, of course, they can be exhausting,” she added with another laugh.
– “I’d rather unload trains than watch over kids,” George snorted. “You’ve got an important job. Kids are so energetic and curious! It’s quite a potent mix!”
They were so engrossed in their conversation that Alex almost missed her stop. George quickly got her number before she rushed off the bus, and she gladly gave it to him.
From there began their romance. Alex and George spent a lot of time together, going for walks, visiting the cinema, and attending exhibitions. To their delight, they discovered a shared love for theatre.
– “I never thought I’d meet a fellow theatre fanatic!” Alex chuckled. “Nowadays, it’s hardly the trend.”
– “Theatre will never go out of style,” George countered.
Their relationship blossomed beautifully. George seemed caring and charming. However, it turned out he didn’t like animals. In fact, he found them quite repelling.
Once, during a walk, a kitten approached them. It was affectionate and sweet, rubbing up against George, who angrily kicked it, causing the kitten to squeal.
– “What are you doing?!” Alex rushed to the little creature’s aid. “Why would you do that?”
– “Don’t touch it!” George grimaced. “Who knows what diseases it has? And it left its fur all over me!”
For the rest of the evening, George couldn’t understand why Alex was upset. Eventually, she told him:
– “It’s not okay to treat those weaker than you like that!”
– “What are you talking about?” he asked earnestly, having already forgotten about the mangy cat.
– “You kicked a kitten today! A small creature that’s already vulnerable. Don’t you feel sorry for it?”
George only snorted. Had she really gotten that upset over this?
– “I’m just looking out for myself! Stray animals are often sick. Why should I feel sorry for them? If we pity every cat or dog on the street, we’d go mad.”
Alex couldn’t come to terms with his words. She didn’t think everyone should love or try to rescue animals. Although she herself had a cat she saved from the streets, rescuing it from a pack of stray dogs as a kitten. But no, she didn’t believe everyone should be that compassionate. Not liking animals was one thing, but to harm and offend them was entirely different.
They stopped talking for a while, but then the hurt subsided, and Alex began to wonder if she had overreacted. Overall, George suited her. He was caring, intelligent, and interesting. Maybe he simply never had a pet and didn’t know the happiness they bring.
For some time, Alex didn’t invite George to her place. They usually met out or at his home. But wanting to show off her hosting skills, she invited him for dinner, to which he happily agreed.
As soon as George entered the hallway, Donut, the cat Alex had rescued, bounded over to him. Donut, no longer a timid, frightened kitten, justified his name well. He was chubby and lazy but loved guests, greeting everyone as if they’d come solely to visit him.
George grimaced immediately. He had an urge to shove the furry creature aside but remembered how Alex reacted to the kitten-kicking incident.
So George just said “shoo” to Donut, dispensing with any affection.
The evening went well, although George was irritated by the cat’s presence in the kitchen. For him, this was unacceptable. Cats shouldn’t be in homes, spreading fur everywhere.
When Donut leaped onto his lap, expecting the usual admiration, George lost patience and shoved him so forcefully that Donut ended up near the fridge.
– “Be gentle, George,” Alex chided while picking up her cat.
– “I don’t like animals,” George barked. “I’ve told you before.”
– “I know,” Alex replied, kissing the fluffy cat. “But that doesn’t give you the right to harm him.”
– “If he stays away from me, I’ll leave him alone,” George declared firmly.
After that incident, Alex lost the desire to invite George over. She worried about Donut’s safety and didn’t want to argue with George.
It turned out it wasn’t just animals George disliked. Recalling their first conversation on the bus, when he joked about working with children, Alex initially thought he was kidding. But soon, she realized George was serious about preferring manual labor over child interaction.
He didn’t like children either. One day, when he picked up Alex from work, she still had kids waiting for their parents. As they played in the park, one of her students approached George with a toy car, eager to show him.
– “Leave me alone,” George barked.
Alex gently scolded him for being unkind. He merely shrugged.
– “Why should I listen to some kid? Why does everyone adore children anyway? They’re silly and uninteresting. If I’m not interested in his toy car, do I have to pretend?”
Alex felt increasingly uneasy. She never claimed everyone should love children and animals. But expressing disdain and hatred so candidly… She wondered if someone like that could ever truly love.
George, however, believed everything was great between them. So, six months later, he surprised Alex with a proposition to move in together.
– “We’ve been together a while, so why not live together? You’re renting your place, and I own mine. It’s perfect, Alex,” he said with a smile.
– “I’ll need to think about it,” Alex replied, surprised.
– “But I hope you understand I don’t want the cat in my house. You should give him away,” he casually added.
Alex stopped in her tracks. They were strolling along the riverside, enjoying perfect weather, and yet one sentence ruined the evening.
– “How do you see this happening?” she inquired. “I love Donut. He’s been with me for three years. Am I just supposed to abandon him?”
– “Knowing you, I’m sure you wouldn’t abandon him,” George laughed. “Just give him to someone.”
Alex raised an eyebrow.
– “And if I had a child? Would you ask me to give them away too? You don’t like kids either.”
– “Now you’re exaggerating,” George chuckled. “If you had a child, we wouldn’t be together. Kids should be ours and only later. Other people’s kids are a burden, just like animals.”
Alex shook her head. She loved George but couldn’t accept his outlook. With him, happiness wouldn’t last. It’s like his heart was hardened, even cruel. Such a person could hardly become a gentle parent or tolerate a pet, nor could they teach future children what generosity means.
– “George,” Alex began, taking a deep breath, “I’m not moving in with you.”
– “Because of a cat?!” he exclaimed, astonished.
– “Partly. But mostly because of our differing life views. I think it’s best if we part ways.”
George never understood Alex’s perspective. He believed he was always honest. And he couldn’t fathom that she genuinely cherished the kids at work or valued a scruffy cat so much. Ultimately, he convinced himself the issue was something else entirely. Perhaps she was cheating on him.
This thought allowed George to harbor resentment, extending it to Alex. Sadly, it seemed that’s how he’d continue to live.
