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.