We just got back.
And the first thing I did was scan all her favorite places. It's automatic when I come home - find Little Girl.
But we took her with us. And didn't bring her back.
It is the first time, in 18 years, that I have entered a domicile named Castle Argghhh!... and she hasn't been here. And never will be again.
Dammit.
Oh, she had a bitchy voice.
Admittedly, she was a bit of a fussbudget.
But gollee, in her day, she was beautiful to look at. And twisted me about her paw when she was a wee three weeks old. And never let go. From her first night, sleeping in the hollow of my neck and shoulder, to her last night, sleeping in the hollow of my arm, snuggled up to my chest, gently purring away. She was always there. Even when she was mad at me for being gone sometimes for months at a time.
We were entwined, Little Girl and I. The Empress of Dark ruled my world.
But last night at the Jellicle Ball, Old Deuteronomy chose, and today she rode the sunbeam up to the Heaviside Layer.
Heh. We’d taken to calling her “Schrody. ” Short for “Schrodinger’s Cat” because when you approached her, she could be seen to be both alive or dead, until some action gave you a clue. Towards the end, her breathing was so gentle I had to really look closely to see if she was still with us. But I knew she wasn’t ready to go as long as she was griping about the cuisine and her sunbeam was available. Then she quit griping about the cuisine, and had to be taken to the sunbeam.
Which she appreciated.
But she'd stand her watch. Even on Thanksgiving.
Then comes today. No interest in any gustatory enticements. Not.even.bacon. Barely interested in water. Could hardly walk three steps without resting, or falling over.
And then there was the snow.
No sunbeam.
And only a little, listless purr when she took her place on my chest. She could hardly hold her head up. I doubt she weighed three pounds.
She wasn't ready, not really. God, I know I wasn't. But the spark of a little spirit that could fill big ol' me was flickering, and the flesh was weakening steadily.
At least Gabby, her brother lost to cancer all those years ago, will be there to greet her. And grizzled old Ninja, who taught Rest Stop how to fight the fat cat way, where all five pointy ends can be brought into play. And Sergeant S'mudge, the only Interior Guardian to fall in the line of duty.
Not to mention the Exterior Guardians Sebastian, Little Guy, Mickey, Shadow, and Whiskey. They were her servants too.
Gad, there’s more of them up there than there are down here. And she was the Last of the Sooners. A Plank Owner of Castle Argghhh! I'd known the Empress of Dark longer than I've known SWWBO. All of the Oklahomans are gone. We're pure Kansas now.
I’m starting to feel the weight of entropy.
Sigh.
Touch me
It's so easy to leave me
All alone with the memory
Of my days in the sun
If you touch me
You'll understand what happiness is
Indeed. Dammit.
Stand down, Little Girl, take a break. You've earned it with all that you gave me. I relieve you, Miss.
Rest Stop, you have the watch.
Now is the time at Castle Argghhh! when wedance sing a spirit to the Laser Dot and Feather Toy Batting Facility. Or you could be the Bar Cat at Piddler's Green, across the road from Fiddler's Green.
Fare thee well, thou good and faithful friend.
Great farkin' gobs of spittle, I *hate* entropy.
And the first thing I did was scan all her favorite places. It's automatic when I come home - find Little Girl.
But we took her with us. And didn't bring her back.
It is the first time, in 18 years, that I have entered a domicile named Castle Argghhh!... and she hasn't been here. And never will be again.
Dammit.
Oh, she had a bitchy voice.
Admittedly, she was a bit of a fussbudget.
But gollee, in her day, she was beautiful to look at. And twisted me about her paw when she was a wee three weeks old. And never let go. From her first night, sleeping in the hollow of my neck and shoulder, to her last night, sleeping in the hollow of my arm, snuggled up to my chest, gently purring away. She was always there. Even when she was mad at me for being gone sometimes for months at a time.
We were entwined, Little Girl and I. The Empress of Dark ruled my world.
But last night at the Jellicle Ball, Old Deuteronomy chose, and today she rode the sunbeam up to the Heaviside Layer.
Heh. We’d taken to calling her “Schrody. ” Short for “Schrodinger’s Cat” because when you approached her, she could be seen to be both alive or dead, until some action gave you a clue. Towards the end, her breathing was so gentle I had to really look closely to see if she was still with us. But I knew she wasn’t ready to go as long as she was griping about the cuisine and her sunbeam was available. Then she quit griping about the cuisine, and had to be taken to the sunbeam.
Which she appreciated.
But she'd stand her watch. Even on Thanksgiving.
Then comes today. No interest in any gustatory enticements. Not.even.bacon. Barely interested in water. Could hardly walk three steps without resting, or falling over.
And then there was the snow.
No sunbeam.
And only a little, listless purr when she took her place on my chest. She could hardly hold her head up. I doubt she weighed three pounds.
She wasn't ready, not really. God, I know I wasn't. But the spark of a little spirit that could fill big ol' me was flickering, and the flesh was weakening steadily.
At least Gabby, her brother lost to cancer all those years ago, will be there to greet her. And grizzled old Ninja, who taught Rest Stop how to fight the fat cat way, where all five pointy ends can be brought into play. And Sergeant S'mudge, the only Interior Guardian to fall in the line of duty.
Not to mention the Exterior Guardians Sebastian, Little Guy, Mickey, Shadow, and Whiskey. They were her servants too.
Gad, there’s more of them up there than there are down here. And she was the Last of the Sooners. A Plank Owner of Castle Argghhh! I'd known the Empress of Dark longer than I've known SWWBO. All of the Oklahomans are gone. We're pure Kansas now.
I’m starting to feel the weight of entropy.
Sigh.
Touch me
It's so easy to leave me
All alone with the memory
Of my days in the sun
If you touch me
You'll understand what happiness is
Indeed. Dammit.
Stand down, Little Girl, take a break. You've earned it with all that you gave me. I relieve you, Miss.
Rest Stop, you have the watch.
Now is the time at Castle Argghhh! when we
Fare thee well, thou good and faithful friend.
Great farkin' gobs of spittle, I *hate* entropy.
((((HUGS))))
RG
God bless
Shogun,Yoshi and Storms human
Reminds me of a grey tabby we had when I was a lad just on the edge of manhood, yclept Snoopy. When he was about 2 or 3 years old, Snoopy disappeared for a couple of weeks, and we had decided that he had found a new home, when he turned up on the doorstep missing his back right leg from the lower joint down.
The only thing we could figure is that he escaped either a varmint trap, a sadist, or both. My older sister took him to the vet, stood for the bills, and brought him back healthy. And I'll tell you, I've never seen anything like a three-legged cat run flat out. Nimble little bugger.
Or when he wanted to scratch behind his right ear; he's walk up to you, look you in the eye, and work that back leg as if he could still scratch. Clear as day, he was saying "help brother out, willya?" :)
Alas, in the fulfillment of time he succumbed to certain ailments of the older male feline variety.
Miau, mi amigo.
They'll get along great...
I'm not an animal/pet person so much, but we've had a dog now since late February (supposedly thereputic an' all), and while we're still both a bit wary of one another--me more than her, I find I am becoming attached to her. Not willingly, for sure, but inevitably, I suppose. I know the deal, but your post doesn't bode well for me since I'm a bit of a sap... ah well...
Again, my regrets.
blessings to you and beth for loving her so much. now i gotta go blow me nose.
Love to you all out in the back 40.
Damn, John...
My condolences to you.
Damn, I'm sorry. They stay with us for much too short a time, and are sadly missed when they depart.
{Hugs}
Sounds to me like you fulfilled the contract.
Heaven can only be where they wait.
In the last year or so before we lost HaiMao he was on Senior Cat duty, with the sole responsibility of looking up when checked on.
.
.
.
I'm sorry to hear about your loss. I've experienced similar pain, when I had to put down a cat who was my best friend at the time because he was poisoned with anti-freeze by someone who lived next door in my apartment complex.
Entropy sucks.
Take care.
-Jack
So true.
She'll have good company up there...my Cracker, Pinney, Valley, and J.R. are waiting to play. And dad's holding the laser pointer.
Condolences to you and SWWBO.
Feel my big sis arms around you and cry until you are done.
Note to self - keep some mascara at work.
*SOB*
I'm so sorry, John.
My oldest critter is about 20, so I'm pretty sure she'll be joining Little Girl before long.
*SOB*
Thanks, all of you - and TRK, that was really rather sweet.
*hugs*
Condolences, John and Beth, but know Little Girl loved and still loves you.
Love knows no limits it's said. And there is no more special love than what one receives from those special gifts from heaven, our "pets". Far more family than many blood relative, often the place they share in our lives cannot be equaled by fellow man. Surely heaven holds a place for these that give us so very very much. Heaven they say is perfect, so it must be so... If God has a mansion for me and for you, certainly there must be a sunbeam there for your Little Girl and the rest.
My sympathy. Been there.