An Emily lived once upon a time in a serene suburban neighbourhood. She was often a quiet, amiable woman who kept to herself. She was busy with her normal tasks one lovely afternoon when there was a tap on the door.
Emily was intrigued but wary before answering it. A man she had never seen before stood there, appearing a little uncomfortable. “Do you have a cat?” he inquired in an unusual way after clearing his throat.
Perplexed and a little surprised, Emily slammed the door in disdain, assuming the man was pulling a crude practical joke.
Emily was drinking her coffee in the morning when she heard the same knock on the door. When she opened the door and saw the same man standing there, seemingly unaffected by her earlier response, suspicion and resentment welled up inside of her.
“What do you want now?” she questioned, her tone hinting at annoyance.
Unfazed by her answer, the man asked again, “Do you have a cat?” in an odd question.
Emily slammed the door again, frustrated and swearing she would tell her husband about this strange experience.
When Emily’s husband, Michael, got home from work later that evening, they talked about the strange things that had happened over the previous two days. Fearing for his wife’s safety, Michael made the decision to skip work the following day in order to be at home in case the enigmatic man returned.
When they heard a knock on the door the next morning, they both ran to answer it. Michael said to Emily, “Honey, I’m going to hide behind the door,” in a low voice. If this is the same guy, please respond to his query with a “yes.” I must find out where he intends to take this.”
Emily gave a sign of approval and, her pulse pounding, opened the door. They were shocked to see the same man standing there with a sly smile on his face. Again, he inquired, “Do you have a cat?”
Following her husband’s lead, Emily grudgingly said, “Yes, I do.”
“Good, would you mind telling your husband to stop bugging my wife about it and start taking care of yours?” the man said, his smile growing.
The unexpected turn of events caused Michael, who had been listening in behind the door, to erupt into laughter. The man’s witty and lighthearted remark made everyone laugh, and they were grateful that the strange query had been misunderstood.
From that point on, Emily and Michael would laugh heartily whenever they thought of the inquisitive man who had knocked on their door, transforming an embarrassing circumstance into a humorous story to tell friends and relatives.