This is a sister piece to my own goodbye to Boo that was written to his mother, my wife, from Boo's perspective...enjoy the read.Saying Goodbye...
This is dedicated to my beautiful, loving, caring wife who gives her all in everything she does, who cares for her/our cats as if they were our children...in some ways, having no kids these little furry balls of love are.
Her Boo, the old man of the lot (eight cats)is going to the great beyond this Saturday, his health issues leaving us no other choice, and that reality has her grieving even now, five days away from the grand goodbye. Boo (his formal name is Deniro) is going to be missed...for as long as I can remember, since I've known her, he's been a fixture in his Mom's life for twice as long as I, he's been there every morning to get his Mom up for work, waited patiently at the foot of our stairs when it was time for bed...even with seven other cats to keep us company, the house is going to seem empty for awhile as we adjust to the new reality of him looking down on her from heaven.
Boo never quite figured out the fine art of typing, though he's spent many hours lounging close to our keyboards, occasionally playing with the mouse. He's one of those cats that has a way of talking to you though, certain meow's, the way he tilts his head, or a gentle pat from his mighty paw. He knows the end is near, it's almost as if his heart is breaking too, not from what is about to come, but for those he has to leave behind. It's important to him, he wants his Mom to know he'll be OK, so this small piece is written from Boo to his one and only Mom, to my own Sweet Pea.
Dearest Mom:
Do you remember the day you brought me home...Wendy is always reminding the two of us that she's the one that brought us together on Richard's first birthday...it's true what she says, but I/we have never needed reminding. Our meeting, my going home with you, it was the way it was supposed to be, our time together written in the stars. I was yours, and you were mine, and that was just the way it had to be.
Though, looking back on those early days, not so sure Chilli agreed at the time, was not overly thrilled at the new arrival of a frisky young male kitten without enough sense to leave her alone. Her and I though...we over time got very close, and though she's gotten cranky in her old age, still respect the who of her, and the things she taught me early on. You take care of her, she'll never let on, but she's going to miss me laying beside her on the sofa.
We've been through quite a lot you and I...remember our BIG MOVE? The new house at the time seemed SO LARGE, but I knew it was where I belonged as soon as I saw our bed up on the second floor, had no doubt that I was at home. Other than occasional guests, for the longest time it was just the three of us. Mom, Chili and Deniro Boo, three peas in a pod. We played, we watched movies, and sometimes when you were feeling blue I'd curl up in your lap and listen for awhile, knowing you needed to talk.
Things changed dramatically for all of us in 2000. I knew something was up when you started spending HOURS upon HOURS chatting on the phone, giggling, laughing and even crying curled up on the sofa, or sometimes up in bed. Then those balloons arrived...do you remember that? It was shortly after that when HE arrived. OK, I can admit I was a bit leery, but you were right, he was a good man, and gave the best hiney rubs a cat could ever have. I began looking forward to his weekly arrivals, and even Chili in her haughty way gave him her tacit approval, though it would be awhile before she gave in completely and curled up in his lap to give his hand a lick.
Of course, that as we both know was just the beginning, and what a whirl wind romance the four of us had. You and he, and I and his cat Muffin...what a delightfully beautiful cat she is, and so kind and affectionate. I took to her right away, but of course you knew that...think we carried on even more than the two of you. Us two couples had a lot in common. I would have loved to have had kittens with her, but that was not to be, though that never stopped the two of us from cuddling, and purring in the middle of the night. I never told you this before, but you have been a GREAT Mom, and a child would have been so lucky to have been born to the two of you.
That first summer as the five of us adjusted, and you two planned the wedding was a hectic time. Dad and I about killed ourselves turning that attic into your bridal salon, and now our Master Bedroom...him staying up till the wee hours of the night, me right there by his side, rubbing up against the fresh wet plaster, and pointing my nose up against the freshly painted walls. Watching him take that old musty space, and converting it into a space with love showed me he was right for you...I'll never forget the night he took you by the hand up to see the room, completely finished down to the dust ruffle on the bed, and plants surrounding the windows, finished off with white lace curtains, and tie backs like I'd never seen.
Your happy tears spoke volumes, and I knew the wedding coming up in just two short days would be a time none of us would forget...though, have to admit I was a bit MIFFED at the fact you two would be leaving us in the hands of a sitter for three weeks while you two love birds ran off to honeymoon in Maui without me! I could understand leaving Chili and Muffin behind, but come on, I worked as hard on that room as Dad did.
You two were barely back home when the new additions arrived! Leave it too Dad to decide we needed her, his and OUR cats...what was he thinking? I was fine with it, but Chili was fit to be tied, and she's attitude enough in the best of circumstances, let alone when suddenly faced with two new kittens running around the house like they owned the place. No one would know it now, but remember how White Snowball was as a kitten? Now, six years later she looks like a fat Siamese! Then we had Checkers...what a wild child he was. It's no wonder he ended up getting Snowball in a motherly way.
I still remember the night the three kittens were born...Dad sure knew his stuff when Snowball was having troubles with the birth. He'd made her a perfect nest upstairs on the bed, and while you snored through the night he helped her give birth to her first little girl that we named Spaz a few weeks later. That's when you burned out Dad's eyes...that was SO FUNNY. He woke you up to see the new baby. He'd been up for almost two days, and you were so excited that you leapt out of bed and threw on the lights. Then came the other two, Shadow Dancer and Ginger. You sure made a fuss over those three wee little kittens, all but mothering them to death.
Remember the morning Snowball had started to move them from the closet downstairs into the kitchen while you were asleep? You were BESIDE YOURSELF, and poor Dad being wakened from the dead of his sleep was the only thing that calmed you down.
From just the three of us, you, Chili and I, our family had grown quite a bit. From three to ten, and all in less than a year. Dad was always projecting, painting walls, moving rooms around, and of course I was there to help.
Yes, Ginger and I fought now and then, but then that is what boys are meant to do...brothers love to fight, but don't kid yourself, we still love each other through and through.
You've been the BEST MOM a cat could ever have, and I need to let you know that. Don't grieve at my passing, as I'll be all right, your Mom will see to that. Know that we'll both be up in heaven, I in her lap, she holding your Father's hand. We'll be fine, the three of us...in fact if you think of it, it'll be like going back to the beginning again and starting all over with just three. From the stories that you have shared of your Mom, have a feeling she'll take care of me just fine until we meet again.
If you are out walking on a summer's evening, I'll be the brightest star in the heavens, winking down at you. When you see that first crocus of the spring, know it was sent from me to you, my way of saying I love you, and that you still are the best Mother a cat could ever have. Don't cry Mom, it's all going to be just fine. I know you'll miss me, but close your eyes and I'll be right there, whispering in your ear. Take care of Dad, you know how he is...give some extra pats to Chili, Spaz, Muffin, Checkers, Shadow Dancer, Snowball, and most of all Ginger, as I know I at times was rough on him. They'll all be wondering where I went, so please tell them that I am just fine...sitting up here in heaven, I'll be watching all of you each and every day.
Angels Keep,
Always Your Loving Son
Deniro
