【明報專訊】When I saw Mi, my friend's cat, stare at me as I perched on the loo, I realised different species regard privacy differently. Mi stood steadfastly there despite my efforts at persuading her to move elsewhere. I had to decide whether to answer my call of nature at another time or share a moment of privacy that I would usually prefer not to. I decided on the latter. Because of her sweet eyes and mouth adorned with a heart-shaped patch of brown fur, it was exceptionally difficult to doubt her goodwill. It puzzled me how my newfound friend developed such intimacy (親密), having spent the first half of the previous night trying to bite me whenever I came near. She left me in peace for the rest of the night and even lingered (徘徊) when I hugged her goodbye the next morning. I have since learnt that sharing someone's sense of privacy is how friendships form.