Dec10

one must love a cat on its own terms – paul gray

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imageGot a call that I was being stood up

for

a planned movie date

with my friend

        who was called

to attend

a memorial

for a cat she helped to care for

                              one who acted like a mean tyrant bully

believing she was a lion

dominant and demanding of her people

and her fellow cat

‘marbles’

who is

so sweet and loving

to feed the lion

meant traveling

down the hall

behind

a protective shield

of cardboard

and with

a

backup person

lest there be

a sneak attack

an ambush

and now

the lion

was gone

and

it was to be

                                           a cheesecake, tea, and fruit party

a wake complete with stories and memories and kind words

a gathering of everyone

who had helped care for her over the years

who had ever crossed paths with her

who had owned cats

who had loved and lived with cats

and my friend was left stumped

about what to say

what kind words

could she conjure up?

and she noticed

marbles

the surviving cat

sitting on the window sill

purring and sunning

and licking

the cheesecake

off of her front paws.

—

‘She clawed her way into my heart and

wouldn’t let go of it.’

– missy altijd

47 responses »

  14. This was such a fun post, too bad the one who she had to take care of, was such a nasty “lion!” It sounds like they had a lovely wake anyway. The best part is, Marbles outlived that wild cat, who must have been a thorn in her side, especially if the ambushes happened to be kitty to kitty, too.

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  22. We had a combo like that. Shadow was quiet and often kept her distance from Bond … Jane Bond. Bond had a warning label on her folder at the vet’s. Shadow passed a few years before Bond. When Bond’s health was failing, even though she’d been an ornery cat many times, I wept like a baby as I held her and comforted her as she was put to sleep.

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  23. I hope a new date for your movie is set. One must celebrate a cat after all, esp. one with such a giant personality. A lion to boot. Sorry to hear the computer is dead. Such a pain.
    We are off to see the Hobbit this week. Have waited a year 🙂

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