In Memoriam

Seventeen years ago, give or take, I saw a small black and white kitten in the "Pet of the Week" picture in my local paper. I called the animal control officer and picked him up from the shelter the next day, after she had checked my credentials with my veterinarian. The instant I walked into the shelter, this tiny kitten started purring so loudly that he could have easily been mistaken for a motor.

At first, he was absolutely terrified of the Wizard. All we could figure out was that perhaps a man with a beard had scared him badly before he was dumped in the woods where Animal Control found him. At any rate, about the only time this kitten stopped purring was when the Wizard entered the room and the kitten ran out. Despite his aversion to bearded men, I called him Sweetpea because he was the sweetest cat I had met in a long time.

Today, Sweetpea's long life came to an end. And he purred loudly in my arms through his very last breath.

 Rest in peace, Sweetpea. You never were a very smart cat, but there are more important things in life than brains.