一路以為寵物呢家嘢同我無關。尤其諗到佢哋會走先過我，即有一份傷心透支。都係咪濟喇！
I used to think pets had nothing to do with me. The mere thought of them leaving this world before I do felt like an overdraft of sorrow. Better not even start.
幾年前收到朋友電話，問我識唔識人收養貓仔。那日剛好無工開，打算落 Pub 前兜一兜路去朋友屋企，飲杯茶、睇下貓。
A few years ago, a friend called asking if I knew anyone who could adopt some kittens. I happened to be off work that day, so swung by their place for a tea and a look at the cats before heading to the pub.
兩隻嘢，黑媽媽，包在毛巾抱上手，我立即喊撚咗出嚟：「未來十幾年，恐怕要委屈呢兩隻嘢喇。」就係如此無厘頭，我帶咗兩隻貓返屋企。
Two little things, dark as soot. The moment I picked them up in a towel, I burst into tears and thought: "These two little souls are probably going to struggle in a life with me," and just like that, in the most nonsensical way, I brought them home.
那時我仲係單身寡佬，日日收工飲到爛醉，連自己都未照顧得掂；加上我向來驕傲，總覺得懷才不遇，其實空虛得很。跨下海口話要照顧 Daphne 同 Velma，實情係兩個小生命撈返我返嚟。
Back then as a single bloke getting dead drunk every day, who could barely take care of myself, I was proud, feeling like a hidden gem waiting to be revealed to the world; but in truth I was hollow as hell. I talked big about taking care of Daphne and Velma, but the reality was these two tiny lives fished me out of the depths.
猶記得最初幾晚，我一滴酒都無飲，只係坐定定喺屋企齋望住兩隻嘢，感覺好唔真實。然而貓 BB 零舍百厭，有時 Daphne 跳上我膊頭，或有 Velma 全力撞埋我 JJ；經歷過周身爪痕同各種疼痛，加埋每日鏟屎清貓毛，儀式感爆晒棚。我由此開始羨慕貓：鍾意跑就跑，想坐上我塊面就立即坐低，要人摸頭咪死纏爛打。折磨完周遭玩到夠，回歸本質食瞓屙，大家反而覺得佢哋優雅可愛。
I remember those first few nights that I didn't touch a drop of booze. I just sat there, staring at them, feeling like it was all a dream. Yet kittens are notoriously mischievous. One moment Daphne would leap onto my shoulder, the next Velma would crash full-force into my junk. Between the scratches, the random aches, and the daily ritual of scooping litter and clearing fur, life suddenly became incredibly real. I even started to envy them. They run when they feel like it; they sit on my face the moment they want to. If they want some head scratches, they're relentless. Done with tormenting everyone around, they go back to eating, sleeping, and shitting. Somehow, everyone still finds them elegant and lovely.
閒事莫理，專注自己。我一路追尋的「鳩得優雅」，原來就係貓的一生。索取不多，有飯就食；兩隻貓回報以一絲溫暖，一刻相伴、一課人生。
Mind your own business; focus on yourself. Such a graceful zero-fucks-given attitude I had been searching for all my life, after all, was in cats' daily existence. They demand so little. For some food and treats, they return a flicker of warmth, a moment of companionship, and a lesson for a lifetime.
這是小動物以有限生命，授以無限救贖。
This is how small animals, with their limited lives, grant us infinite redemption.