Summary

The short story “Cat Person” by Kristen Roupenian follows a 20-year-old college student named Margot. She works at a movie theater, where she meets Robert, a 34-year-old man. After they exchange phone numbers, they flirt over text messages and meet once, but Robert never reveals anything too personal about him. Over the school break, when Margot is at home, they continue texting. Margot starts developing a crush on him, and she imagines an ideal version of him, who is fascinated by her.

When Margot returns to campus, Robert first seems distant, then asks her to the movies. At first, Margot feels uncomfortable and imagines that Robert might be a mysterious, dangerous man after all. After the movie, he asks her to go for a drink, which she accepts because she wants to maintain the illusion she created of him. When she is not allowed to enter the b...