Summary
Highlights
The narrator begins his first job working the late shift at a Chinese takeaway in early 2000. Despite finding it boring at times, it's his only option due to college classes. His boss has strict rules, especially about not leaving the restaurant unattended.
Near closing time, the narrator receives a unique phone call from an elderly lady upstairs. She requests a simple, unseasoned chicken soup and asks for it to be brought to her door, as she's worried about the stairs. She instructs him to leave the order at the top of the stairs, where the money will be waiting under the door. Despite hesitation, he agrees.
After preparing the order, the narrator goes upstairs. He notes all lights are out in the apartment and a window is open despite the cold. Upon reaching the door, he finds it slightly ajar but no money. He knocks, and then hears the restaurant's door chime, prompting him to rush back down.
Relieved his boss isn't there, he finds a black cat inside the restaurant, staring at a chair. This unnerves him, but he's more concerned about his boss's dislike for animals. After the cat leaves, he tries to call the old lady to confirm the order and collect payment, only to find the line disconnected. He puts his own money in the till to cover the soup.
After closing up, the narrator glances back at the restaurant and sees the black cat again, sitting in the exact same spot. He reopens the door to let the cat out, but it disappears behind the counter. As he approaches, the door chime sounds again, and he sees an old lady at the entrance, her back to him, before she walks away into the night.
Later, the narrator tells a colleague about the incident. The colleague identifies the old lady from the description as a former resident of the upstairs apartment who died a few months prior from a fall. He then reveals that she was a regular customer, always ordering unseasoned chicken soup to share with the neighborhood cat. This revelation leaves the narrator deeply unsettled about his experience.