Mr.
Universe
You have been
my indoor-outdoor beautiful black and white tomcat for over ten years.
The first five years, you were the king-of-the-hill black cat on the
block. Everybody knew you and fed you, but you slept on my porch, wild
as a March hare---no one could get near you. Then you disappeared for
almost two years, and when you came back to me, I thought, ‘could
this animal be my wild cat’ and it was. You were skin and bones.
Your black and white fur was bronze color from malnutrition. Your feet
were swollen, and you looked as though you had come a hundred miles just
to get back to me.
You stayed outside while the house was painted inside and outside. After
the painters left, and you chose to stay on with me, I had you bathed and
fixed, and you became my indoor cat. You had been given your shots and declared
healthy.
I have been fighting
cancer and blindness for over five years, and after each of four procedures,
you were there. You knew just where I hurt the most, and would curl up
there so nice and warm, and I would reach out and pet you, and you would
purr, and the power of that pain would go away, and I would doze off.
But
someone stole him.
My
house is empty, my front porch is empty, and my back yard is empty.
I miss you so. I know that you are not locked in the garage. I hope you
are alive and well cared for, and fed, and when you can get a way,
I know that you will come back to me again. You had been
with me through five books and four operations.
I
love you so Mr. Universe, my beautiful black and white, thirteen year
old tomcat.
From The desk of Estella
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