“Speak of the Cat, and Here He Comes” (Palestinian–Jordanian dialect proverb) There was a young man named Shadi, famous among his friends for always forgetting appointments and showing up late. If he promised to arrive at six, he’d show up at seven. And if he texted, “I’m on my way,” you’d probably find him still at home—not even wearing his shoes yet. One day, the guys were sitting in a coffee shop waiting for him. One of them said, “Shadi definitely forgot about the meetup.” Another laughed and said, “No way. In a minute he’ll text us, ‘I’ve arrived,’ while he’s still looking for his keys.” A third friend added, “I guarantee he’ll walk in here and swear that we’re the ones who came early.” Everyone burst into laughter. Just then… The coffee shop door opened. Shadi walked in, completely out of breath, and shouted, “Guys! You’re the ones who came early! I got here right on time!” The group froze for a second, struggling to hold back their laughter. Then they looked at each other and burst out laughing even harder. One of them slapped the table and said, “Well… speak of the cat, and here he comes!” Shadi looked confused. “Who were you talking about?” His friend laughed and replied, “Nobody… we just knew you’d walk in at that exact moment and say exactly that!” Even the waiter couldn’t help laughing after overhearing the conversation. Meaning of the proverb “Speak of the cat, and here he comes” is said when people are talking about someone, and that person suddenly appears, almost as if they heard their name being mentioned. It’s usually said jokingly and carries no insult. There is another version with the same meaning: “Speak of the donkey, and here he comes flying.” However, this version is used as an insult or to mock someone, since it compares the person to a donkey. That’s why it’s best not to use it with people you don’t know well, as it can easily offend them rather than come across as a harmless joke.