Ted still fills the food bowl.
Dumps it out in the morning, cleans it out, and puts in fresh food again.
Same with the water bowl.
And he sifts the litter box every afternoon and changes the litter every week.
Vacuums the carpet every few days, and runs a lint-roller over all of the furniture.
It’s been five years since he lost his cat.
He hasn’t had the heart to get another.
But he still goes through all the routines.
It makes him feel good, for some reason.
And maybe, one day, he’ll get another.
And be ready for it.