As he entered the room with his cup of coffee he heard a whisper.
Not wishing to be rushed, he settled himself into his armchair and took a few sips before answering. He knew his companion was fond of complaining about things generally and wanted a few moments of relaxation before hearing him wine about something. He looked across at him.
“You said something?”
“I did.”
“A complaint, no doubt.”
“Well, yes, I suppose it is.”
“Go on. I’m listening.”
“It’s about the room, I guess.”
“The room? What about it?”
“It needs, I don’t know, sprucing up a bit. Don’t you think?”
He looked around before answering. “What sort of sprucing up? It looks fine to me.”
“The walls are what strikes me as being really drab. Don’t you think a few things hung on them would at least give the place more character?”
He eyed the room again and stood up. “What, pictures, you mean?
“Well, yes, absolutely anything, I guess.”
He moved across to where his housemate sat and tried to read his expression. Was he having him on, he thought?
At this point, he gradually realised he was staring into the tank with his nose pressed against the glass.
In a creepy moment he became aware of the fact that he was talking to his lizard!