Dear Elvis,
Today as I scrolled thru memories on FB, I saw my Bubby, our Blackie, my beautiful kitty, whom we lost to cancer almost 2 years ago.
If Blackie had been a human, he would have been considered marginalized. He arrived in our Athol community, abandoned, yet determined to be recognized. Of all of the places with which he chose to fraternize, while on the lamb, he frequented the church yard, at the top of the Athol hill, perhaps THE most dangerous spot in Cumberland County, NS.
And then, quite emphatically, he crossed the road, then our little foot bridge, and that tiny little kitty entered our quiet little life.
I loved that cat. My Blackie.
But not at first. He was high strung (who wouldn’t be, he was abandoned after all).
He clawed us, and chased my feet as I made our bed in the morning.
He also liked to bite. And for some reason clawing at my hair and scalp was very popular.
He had attitude as well. Infused with Patrick’s personality, our Blackie could “cut to the quick”, and all I could do was laugh hysterically at his voice, his quips, his song choices, and the like.
And as he matured he came to be, what I always said, “quite a cat”.
I never owned a pet so in tune to my emotions. Many of those years that he lived with us were anxious ones. Job uncertainties, illness, so many issues that were considered “issues” at that time, plagued our happy home.
And yet, there was Blackie. He would curl up beside me, and be my support, a presence, while I slept off the slights, imagined or real; the losses; the simple exhaustion.
If it couldn’t be Pat…it was Blackie.
Bea and I have talked about the relationship between men and cats. I have said to her more than once that a good man, a gentle man, a kind and caring soul, will like cats.
I say this because cats, like empaths, will claw and bite sometimes, but only because we have been hurt, traumatized, misunderstood, or abandoned.
Men tend to gravitate towards dogs. I know that is stereotypical, I suppose, but those of a more controlling nature, perhaps enjoy the company of dogs, because of their loyal nature and trainable personalities.
Yet, I would argue, on our behalf (both Blackie’s and mine) that one will never know a truer, more valuable person (or cat), when you have earned our love.
We loved our boy Blackie, our Bubby, unconditionally.
And that is the only way to love.
Melissa xo xo
