Tuesday, April 22, 2008

A Story of Meow


Meow is a beautiful, mottled copper and black cat.

She is very needy.

She loves people. You can't get by the hot tub, (her hangout, cover on) without her plaintive looks and begging for love, petting, brushing and scratching. (In the picture you see her on her hottub with her brush to her left. )


I met Meow when a petsitting customer ask we take on her mother in law, after we decided we were closed to new customers. Of course I said yes.

Meow's name is actually Chili. She does not belong to Mrs. T in Houston, but to Mrs. T's granddaughter in Colorado. The granddaughter adores Chili. But to continue her education had to move to a 'non-cat zone' and in a moment of insanity, Grandma said Chili could live with her in her small garden home.

"No, I really don't call her Chili. Just 'MEOW'. I just call her that. I can't believe I have a cat." Mrs T. tells me.

This is not my usual customer. Most of my customers adore their pets and give them names, and cater to them. (this is a good thing, in perseptive!)

Mrs. T is a practical woman of a certain age. She has lived life. In fact she said...a cat. Why her?
Well, because she loves her granddaughter.

I went to first meet Mrs. T and "Meow" one very rainy day. She met me at my car with an umbrella. We scampered into the house.

There, as we entered from the garage into a very small sunroom was Meow on the hot tub, beggging for love.

As we talked I got a tour. Pictures everywhere. Mr. T had died 15 months (and a few days) before. They were inserting a pacemaker, a routine procedure, and he died on the table. Mrs. T was devisated.

As she did the tour, and as I spent the subsequent 5 days in her house caring for Meow, I learned a lot about their relationship and family.

Mr. T was gorgeous. There are pictures of him in all stages of life. He was in the navy. The was a barbershop singer. He was honored and loved. In his later life he sported beautiful silver hair and an almost handlebar mustache.

Mrs. T was still in love. I hope I am in love when I am in my 70's. Meow gets some of Mrs. T's love, but Mr. T still is the one.

5 comments:

Leonie said...

A lovely story..

Anonymous said...

What a sad, sad story. Poor kitty. Does she have to stay in that little room by herself all the time? Sorry, but I find that very sad for kitty and for the lady who won't love her. lois

Cindy said...

Thanks, Leonie.

HI Lois! Oops, I think I need to do a rewrite.. it was not supposed to be a sad story! I must have not expressed myself right. :0

I think Mrs. T loves Meow. She gives her the best of everything and mostly love and petting. I think that she just never expected to be sharing her house with a cat, especially at this age.

I was also touched by how much she loved her husband. That is so wonderful to see, especially these days and was kind of refreshing. I have a met a lot of people who seem to love their pet more than their spouse, so her story made me happy! lol

Anonymous said...

Hi. Sorry I misunderstood. I get it now. Thanks. I must be getting too sad/negative in my old age and read the wrong things into the story. The love story between the couple is a beautiful thing. We have a couple of really elderly (90's) men at Church who have lost the wives they love dearly in the past few years. They are sort of lost in the past with their loves who are gone, too. lois

Cindy said...

Hey Lois, I think you could read my story either way.. :) I can see how the sad side comes through, too. Maybe I needed more 'backstory' !

I think it is harder for men to survive without their wives. I will say a prayer for them..

Cindy

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Texas, United States
We are all on a journey, and this blog's reason for existence is to be a place to put mine. From humble suburbian begnnings just north of Dallas to a Catholic unschooler with a passion for faith, lifelong learning, my family and dogs, here I stand before you. Welcome to my world!
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"True happiness lies in giving ourselves in love to our brothers and sisters. "

~ Pope John Paul II

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