Well, I guess I've been a little preoccupied lately, so I'm going to take a moment to recognize the special man in my life, who may be feeling a little neglected right now. That man is my other little kitty, Sam.

Dear Sam,

When you came into my life just over four years ago, I had no idea what an adventure it was going to be. You are courageous and loving, and just your being here has brought so much joy to my life.

You may not remember (you were only four months old at the time), but your mother was a bit of a Ho. You were from the third litter of kittens that she brought to my door, to what utimately became an all-you-can-eat buffet for every stray cat, goose, duck and squirrel in the greater Memphis area. I found homes for *several* of your brothers and sisters, but the majority of your clan preferred to dine and dash.

That was the extent of my generosity. So as not to upset the delicate balance that is my life (and thereby solidify my reputation as the Cat Lady), I provided your daily meal -- with the caveat that there was no room at the inn for anyone but George and me.

That is, *until*, the morning you showed up at my door bloodied and broken, and both of our lives changed for the better.

I'd have to say that out of all the kittens your slut mother brought to the patio, you were definitely unique. Your solid white coat made you stand out from the sea of brown and black tabbies circling my yard, but it was something more than that. It was the way you would stop running, turn around, and then stare at me with those big brown eyes. It was as if your ferral instinct was telling you to dart away from me with the rest of your family, but you knew that I was only trying to feed you, and that you didn't need to be afraid. You are the only one of the kittens that I ever named, and I dubbed you Samwise for your loyalty and gentleness of spirit.

Anyway, after a *huge* storm one night, you disappeared for three days. Now granted, I didn't get upset like I am now, but cut me a little slack. You were a stray. Which may cause some people to wonder why I got *so* upset when you finally came back.

As I was getting ready for work, I heard your slut mommy growling at something I couldn't see. I looked out the door and there you were, on the edge of the yard - staring desperately at the food and wanting nothing more than the comfort of your mommy's touch.

They say an animal can tell when one of her babies is sick, and that she will turn on it and leave it to die. Now, who am I to say that this practice is wrong, or that some karmic justice in the animal kingdom won't someday come back and bite her in her slutty ass? All I know is that somehow you found your way back to my door, and I was not going to let you die there.

As I opened the door in tears, I was prepared for some sort of struggle when I tried to get to you. It broke my heart when you cried and started dragging yourself over to me. As I scooped you up into my arms, I could hear you purring even over my own muffled tears. I rushed you to the vet dressed only in boxer shorts and a t-shirt, and as I stood before the desk with you in my arms, I managed to choke out, "He's... Hurt!" before completely breaking down.

I stroked your side as the veterinarian told me the news. Your right front leg was broken, and three days in the hot sun had left maggots in the open fracture of your left hind leg. As we discussed the best (and most humane) option to take, you stared up at me with so much trust in your eyes. We knew what we had to do... but neither the vet nor I was ready to do it. She, too, fell in love with you as you lay purring on the table.

In the end, Dr. Chandler implanted steel pins into both of your legs. She said that you would probably end up losing the hind leg, but that most kitties were fine with only three legs. She kindly donated her time for the surgery, as long as I could take care of the remaining expenses.

So, after you spent two months of recovery at the vet and weekends at Dr. Chandler's house, you finally came to live with me. George eventually gave in, and the two of you formed a bond that kills me to think may be gone. For the past four years you have brought joy and laughter to this house, and I couldn't have asked for a sweeter pet.

I still wonder about the accident that brought you into my life. Were you hit by a car? Did you get hurt during the storm? I'll never have an answer to this, but I do think that everything happens for a reason. I think that you were brought to me when you were a kitten so that you would know where to go when you got hurt. I can only hope that someone is taking care of George the same way I cared for you. Whoever this family is, she will bring so much joy to their home.

I'm sorry that I've been so sad this week, and I'm sorry that you haven't had anyone to play with, but please know that however devastated I am, nothing could ever take away from the love I feel for you.

I'm watching you chase your mousey around the kitchen, oblivious to the fact that, while you did not end up losing your leg, you did lose some of the gracefulness that all kitties are born with. Your scars and clumsiness only endear you to me more. You're my clumsy, crazy, sweet, loveable boy, and I never could've made it through this week without you.


feeling... warm and fuzzy
listening to... felicity soundtrack
miss something?
goodbye my friend - 2005-04-29
out of the loop - 2005-04-09
a quest for clarity - part 1 - 2004-08-30
no plan for a sequel - 2004-08-27
slacker of the month - 2004-08-26