Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Sometimes It's The Little Things That Remind Me

On Sunday when at daughter's for the grandbaby's birthday party, I was putting ice cream back in the freezer when the top of my head got smacked. Much like Bashful, daughter's kitty, Romeo likes to lie about on top of the fridge.


Since Sunday I have been fighting with a case of the blues. She's been gone since Dec. 22, 2008 but there are times when I miss her to the point where I just want to put my head down somewhere and blat. Of course, I don't do that, I just spend a moment away from others until I have a grip on my emotions.

Butterscotch is a much larger cat. He has strength that she didn't have, but lacks her agility. It takes agility to get to the top of the fridge in my house. Of course, we no longer have that particular fridge either. That one was a 1970's avocado green model, the one we have now is white. Bought it after Hubby got the inside of the cupboard above the fridge finished and the doors back on. It's a perfectly useless cupboard since I can't reach it, and Bashful no longer needs it to hide in. It does look nicer though.

She used to lie up there and when I'd open the door to the freezer, she'd smack me on top of my head with her paw. Sometimes she'd play with my hair for a bit and other times it was to get my attention so I'd scritch her ears. Kitties love scritches you know?

It was a sensation I haven't felt in quite a long time. She didn't have the ability to get up there the last year of her life. Age and I suspect the diabetes had combined to keep her confined to lower elevations. The dresser in front of the bedroom window and the back of the couch was about all she could manage.

I was a bit startled by Romeo's swat. Hadn't any idea he was up there and certainly didn't expect he would do that. Thought I was imagining things until I looked and saw his paw hanging down towards my face. I gave him a scritch until a noise from the other room startled him and he fled the scene leaving me with an ache in my heart where the ghost of Bashful lives.

I took a minute to collect myself and then returned to the festivities in time to watch the unwrapping of the gifts. I stood in a corner with a smile on my face and a desire to arrive at the end of the party so I could go home where the rest of my memories are. She was a good little kitty and I miss her.

6 comments:

  1. Sherry:

    I know what you mean. The dog that we had for 17 years left us 25 years ago, and we still miss her. In fact, we mentioned her yesterday when we saw that the dog rescued in Japan had been reunited with its owner.

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  2. Whit,

    I usually don't have these bouts with the blues last this long. The weather is dreary these past two days and I need a few rays of sunshine to melt them away.

    Our pets do carve a place in our hearts, don't they?

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  3. Sherry:


    I still go through that with Geisha's memory. I'll be lying on the futon like I used to the sofa, and every once in awhile I think I can feel her jump up on the back of it where she used to lay at night. she was a funny kitty.. I know how you feel when you say you miss Bashful.. its almost like losing one of your kids.

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  4. Scratch,

    There are people who are content to replace one pet with another one. Sometimes I wish I was like that, it would be less painful.

    Butterscotch has his place in my heart, but it doesn't stop me from missing her. Sometimes, like now, much more than others.

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  5. I know that when the inevitable time comes and I have to say goodbye to Jesse and/or Skeeter, it's going to rip a hole in me wide enough to park a Mack truck in.

    I wish I had some words of wisdom to offer, but I don't. I sympathize with you, though.

    peace

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  6. Paul

    The blues lifted today and life is back to normal until the next time something happens. I miss her everyday, but sometimes something happens and the missing develops a much more painful edge. Hopefully the next time daughter's kitty Romeo smacks me in the head, it won't be quite as poignant a reminder.

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