I had to get outdoors New Year's Day, so I grabbed my camera to see what I could find. Near the falls in Beacon someone made a tribute to their cat, Tobey, who apparently passed on this last Christmas day.
On the submerged ledge of the cement dam near the falls there were may coins, and probably more lie in the depths below it. Though not superstitious, I dropped a few coins myself for Tobey. Maybe more for myself.
Losing any pet hurts. I have long liked cats so this struck my heart and reminded me of all the kitties I have seen come and go. They all taught me about life and death, being alone, being a friend, taking care of someone. Enjoying a silly moment. Passing an afternoon with a book and the warm weight of a cat on my lap, or leaning against my legs. I miss them all - Harry, Malcolm, Roland, Yabo, By-Tor, Cheetah, Smokey, Woodstock, Jasper, Kitty Dukakis [sic], Tiger, and many more whose names escape me just now.
We often make fun of people for feeling down "because their dog died" as the expression goes. But it hurts just as much as losing any other family member. Stupid fucking Sara Maclachlan doesn't help, either, with her SPCA commercials. I have to turn away whenever she comes on. It's bad enough that her voice is so beautiful, but paired with the pictures of the animals who don't - and may never - know the love that Tobey did saddens me.
Goodbye, Tobey. I'll never see the falls at Beacon quite the same anymore.
