My Place

It's peaceful out here in the yard, even though I've got here late and the air is cool. The wind is ruffling up the neighbour's palm leaves, and maybe the rain that has been hovering all day will finally arrive, but so far it's still pleasant enough.

A dozen or so Noisy Miner birds come and yell at Levi, my black cat, who has been keeping me company out here. They sit in the nearby branches and shriek in concert, their little heads gazing down at him, bright yellow beaks pointing. I jump up and chase them away, shouting back at them, 'Get away, you birds!' and they scatter. Levi sits on the step at the back door, waiting to be let in, trying to look dignified.

'There there,' I say, 'Poor Levi. Were they being nasty to you? Yes, you can go inside.' And I open the door for him, then come back out here. But in fact they have good reason to gang up on him, and to do it from a safe distance. Levi and his sister Freya are both hunters, and I am not always quick enough to stop them from killing birds and lizards.

The palm leaves flutter like ladies' fans. There is a quick little rustling noise through the branches. I take slow gulps of my coffee and watch the sky start to dim. It is my place.