A cat lingered at the end of a narrow, dimly lit alley

Cat sitting still in dim lane — Cat standing at the end of a dimly lit alley

Having slipped out of the chaos of Ho Chi Minh City, I found myself wandering into an alley so narrow that only one person could pass at a time. Sunlight barely reached between the walls, and the air hung still and heavy. At the far end of the passage, a small shadow sat perfectly still.

It was a kitten. It looked utterly at ease, yet a quiet wariness lingered in its posture. Its slender eyes were fixed on me — the traveler. The cat didn’t move, just twitched its ears ever so slightly, as if trying to decide what kind of creature I was.

I, too, remained motionless. There were no words to offer, and no cigarette to serve as an icebreaker. All I could do was soften my expression — not quite a smile, but something close — hoping to signal that I meant no harm.

Still, the cat didn’t open up. But it didn’t run, either. Within that delicate space between us, something passed — a moment dense and honest in a way that words between humans rarely manage to be.

Comment via

日本語