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#1
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Puss Puss' friend Midnight (long and sad)
Hi All,
This is a sad tale. It happened in West Hempstead, NY many years ago. Around the corner from DH lived Mary C, long since grown into a dear woman of an age with yours truly, but the beginning of this story takes place when she was a teenager. She and DH were inseparable. They would do all sorts of girly things together. They discovered boys together. My dear heart, Lynda, and Mary would leave for junior high and later high school early every day and stop to use the ladies room of the local gas station to help each other put on lipstick and eyebrow pencil. Then they would each roll the waistband of their skirts up to shorten them. These things, of course, had to be done in secret as the girls were not permitted to leave the house that way. I've mentioned The Puss Puss many times and I miss that old cat, but Mary had a cat too, Midnight. Midnight was an unfixed female and Lynda once got to see her giving birth to a litter of kittens. Since Puss Puss was fixed and Midnight was not, there was no need for any rivalry between them and they got along together as well as could be expected. Things happened fast for Mary after high school. Marriage and a baby soon followed, as well as moving away from home. Midnight was to stay behind and become her parent's cat. This ran contrary to Midnight's wishes though. She was a one-person cat and her one person was gone. It hurt Mary to hear that Midnight had started staying away longer and longer and finally never came home again. Mary was an independent sort who, though she became a single mom, was determined to make it on her own. Through several jobs and numerous moves the years passed, and she was sure that Midnight must have met her end huddled alone in an alley someplace. The day came when, in spite of her best efforts, jobs and places to live broke down all at once for Mary and she had to move back with her parents temporarily. She had been there for about a week when there was an insistent mewing at the back door. Upon opening the door, Mary discovered an tattered, scarred, and weatherbeaten old black cat. Mary wondered what had driven this animal of the streets to mew at her door -- it didn't even occur to her as she opened a can of tuna for the poor beast that it could be Midnight. Slowly it dawned on Mary. This WAS Midnight. She must have been seventeen or eighteen years old and had survived who could guess how many litters of kittens. She had also survived the icy winters, rainy springs and falls, and the hot humid summers. All Midnight knew was that she was still a one-person cat and that her person had finally come home. I wish that this story had a happy ending. Both Mary and Midnight deserved a happy ending such as Puss Puss and Lynda had after Puss Puss had to spend what was probably her fourteenth year lost on the streets. Mary took Midnight to the vet who told her that the kindest thing to do would be to put Midnight down. Sobbing, Mary assented. She took one more day to spend with her long-lost kitty and returned to the vet's office for a final goodbye. I've been meaning to write this story for some time. I'm sorry it's so sad. I just thought that someone should pay tribute to the old girl's will to live and to her undying hope that some day her person would return to love her once more. Regards and Tears, O J |
#2
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Oooh, this made me cry, too, but thank you for telling this story as I think
it honors both Mary and Midnight. Christine "O J" wrote in message ... Hi All, This is a sad tale. It happened in West Hempstead, NY many years ago. Around the corner from DH lived Mary C, long since grown into a dear woman of an age with yours truly, but the beginning of this story takes place when she was a teenager. She and DH were inseparable. They would do all sorts of girly things together. They discovered boys together. My dear heart, Lynda, and Mary would leave for junior high and later high school early every day and stop to use the ladies room of the local gas station to help each other put on lipstick and eyebrow pencil. Then they would each roll the waistband of their skirts up to shorten them. These things, of course, had to be done in secret as the girls were not permitted to leave the house that way. I've mentioned The Puss Puss many times and I miss that old cat, but Mary had a cat too, Midnight. Midnight was an unfixed female and Lynda once got to see her giving birth to a litter of kittens. Since Puss Puss was fixed and Midnight was not, there was no need for any rivalry between them and they got along together as well as could be expected. Things happened fast for Mary after high school. Marriage and a baby soon followed, as well as moving away from home. Midnight was to stay behind and become her parent's cat. This ran contrary to Midnight's wishes though. She was a one-person cat and her one person was gone. It hurt Mary to hear that Midnight had started staying away longer and longer and finally never came home again. Mary was an independent sort who, though she became a single mom, was determined to make it on her own. Through several jobs and numerous moves the years passed, and she was sure that Midnight must have met her end huddled alone in an alley someplace. The day came when, in spite of her best efforts, jobs and places to live broke down all at once for Mary and she had to move back with her parents temporarily. She had been there for about a week when there was an insistent mewing at the back door. Upon opening the door, Mary discovered an tattered, scarred, and weatherbeaten old black cat. Mary wondered what had driven this animal of the streets to mew at her door -- it didn't even occur to her as she opened a can of tuna for the poor beast that it could be Midnight. Slowly it dawned on Mary. This WAS Midnight. She must have been seventeen or eighteen years old and had survived who could guess how many litters of kittens. She had also survived the icy winters, rainy springs and falls, and the hot humid summers. All Midnight knew was that she was still a one-person cat and that her person had finally come home. I wish that this story had a happy ending. Both Mary and Midnight deserved a happy ending such as Puss Puss and Lynda had after Puss Puss had to spend what was probably her fourteenth year lost on the streets. Mary took Midnight to the vet who told her that the kindest thing to do would be to put Midnight down. Sobbing, Mary assented. She took one more day to spend with her long-lost kitty and returned to the vet's office for a final goodbye. I've been meaning to write this story for some time. I'm sorry it's so sad. I just thought that someone should pay tribute to the old girl's will to live and to her undying hope that some day her person would return to love her once more. Regards and Tears, O J |
#3
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I found it very, very touching too. I think some cats really do bond to
just one person. I was going to trap and tame Boyfriend and then give him up to the Cat's Protection League to find him a home. Yes! I really was! I didn't want another cat. The woman that runs the local branch said that she doubted, from my description of him, that he would settle anywhere else because he was so nervous. She said if I would agree to keep him, even as a barn kitty, and feed him, that they would pay for his snip. I went away to think about it. Was this just a trick, having the wool pulled over my eyes because I wasn't experienced with cats, an appeal to my better nature? In a way, I suppose it was. My German friend, Nüle. wanted me to keep him. She is very fond of cats herself and she guilt tripped me. When she was staying here one time, BF was just at the stage of sneaking into the conservatory late at night to sleep and disappearing as fast as he could when I opened the back door in the morning. "You will tame him and keep him, of course" she said. Which caused me to reply "What do you mean 'of course?' Of course I won't. I like birdwatching in the garden and having Kitty is bad enough, I DO NOT WANT ANOTHER CAT AND HE GOES TO THE CAT'S HOME AS SOON AS I CAN TRAP HIM!!!!" She said "Ahhhhh.." and then remained silent. "Oh, for goodness sake, what do you mean 'ahhhhh?' " I said. She said nothing for about a minute, and sighed. Then she said "Do you realise that this poor boy has somehow lost his home, this poor kitten - for that's all he is - is totally lost. He's found somewhere safe to sleep and thinks he is lucky and now you will turn him out.." So. That's why I still have him, and I bless the day I decided he could live here. I love him to bits. N could guilt trip for Germany in the Olympics ;-) After this extreme guilt-tripping there wasn't really any chance that he couldn't stay. And yes, he's ruined my birdwatching. Tweed "Christine Burel" wrote in message ... Oooh, this made me cry, too, but thank you for telling this story as I think it honors both Mary and Midnight. Christine "O J" wrote in message ... Hi All, This is a sad tale. It happened in West Hempstead, NY many years ago. Around the corner from DH lived Mary C, long since grown into a dear woman of an age with yours truly, but the beginning of this story takes place when she was a teenager. She and DH were inseparable. They would do all sorts of girly things together. They discovered boys together. My dear heart, Lynda, and Mary would leave for junior high and later high school early every day and stop to use the ladies room of the local gas station to help each other put on lipstick and eyebrow pencil. Then they would each roll the waistband of their skirts up to shorten them. These things, of course, had to be done in secret as the girls were not permitted to leave the house that way. I've mentioned The Puss Puss many times and I miss that old cat, but Mary had a cat too, Midnight. Midnight was an unfixed female and Lynda once got to see her giving birth to a litter of kittens. Since Puss Puss was fixed and Midnight was not, there was no need for any rivalry between them and they got along together as well as could be expected. Things happened fast for Mary after high school. Marriage and a baby soon followed, as well as moving away from home. Midnight was to stay behind and become her parent's cat. This ran contrary to Midnight's wishes though. She was a one-person cat and her one person was gone. It hurt Mary to hear that Midnight had started staying away longer and longer and finally never came home again. Mary was an independent sort who, though she became a single mom, was determined to make it on her own. Through several jobs and numerous moves the years passed, and she was sure that Midnight must have met her end huddled alone in an alley someplace. The day came when, in spite of her best efforts, jobs and places to live broke down all at once for Mary and she had to move back with her parents temporarily. She had been there for about a week when there was an insistent mewing at the back door. Upon opening the door, Mary discovered an tattered, scarred, and weatherbeaten old black cat. Mary wondered what had driven this animal of the streets to mew at her door -- it didn't even occur to her as she opened a can of tuna for the poor beast that it could be Midnight. Slowly it dawned on Mary. This WAS Midnight. She must have been seventeen or eighteen years old and had survived who could guess how many litters of kittens. She had also survived the icy winters, rainy springs and falls, and the hot humid summers. All Midnight knew was that she was still a one-person cat and that her person had finally come home. I wish that this story had a happy ending. Both Mary and Midnight deserved a happy ending such as Puss Puss and Lynda had after Puss Puss had to spend what was probably her fourteenth year lost on the streets. Mary took Midnight to the vet who told her that the kindest thing to do would be to put Midnight down. Sobbing, Mary assented. She took one more day to spend with her long-lost kitty and returned to the vet's office for a final goodbye. I've been meaning to write this story for some time. I'm sorry it's so sad. I just thought that someone should pay tribute to the old girl's will to live and to her undying hope that some day her person would return to love her once more. Regards and Tears, O J |
#5
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"Karen Chuplis" wrote in message ... in article , Christina Websell at wrote on 1/30/05 4:36 PM: I found it very, very touching too. I think some cats really do bond to just one person. I was going to trap and tame Boyfriend and then give him up to the Cat's Protection League to find him a home. Yes! I really was! I didn't want another cat. The woman that runs the local branch said that she doubted, from my description of him, that he would settle anywhere else because he was so nervous. She said if I would agree to keep him, even as a barn kitty, and feed him, that they would pay for his snip. I went away to think about it. Was this just a trick, having the wool pulled over my eyes because I wasn't experienced with cats, an appeal to my better nature? In a way, I suppose it was. My German friend, Nüle. wanted me to keep him. She is very fond of cats herself and she guilt tripped me. When she was staying here one time, BF was just at the stage of sneaking into the conservatory late at night to sleep and disappearing as fast as he could when I opened the back door in the morning. "You will tame him and keep him, of course" she said. Which caused me to reply "What do you mean 'of course?' Of course I won't. I like birdwatching in the garden and having Kitty is bad enough, I DO NOT WANT ANOTHER CAT AND HE GOES TO THE CAT'S HOME AS SOON AS I CAN TRAP HIM!!!!" She said "Ahhhhh.." and then remained silent. "Oh, for goodness sake, what do you mean 'ahhhhh?' " I said. She said nothing for about a minute, and sighed. Then she said "Do you realise that this poor boy has somehow lost his home, this poor kitten - for that's all he is - is totally lost. He's found somewhere safe to sleep and thinks he is lucky and now you will turn him out.." So. That's why I still have him, and I bless the day I decided he could live here. I love him to bits. N could guilt trip for Germany in the Olympics ;-) After this extreme guilt-tripping there wasn't really any chance that he couldn't stay. And yes, he's ruined my birdwatching. Tweed Wow. She is GOOOOOOD! grin Yes, isn't she? She can make me feel bad even though English isn't her first language. Next time she came, Boyfriend refused to come into the house if he saw her in the kitchen or lounge. I told he he was ungrateful and that it was down to her that he was here. He said she talked funny and he wouldn't come in until she went to bed which fortunately for him was around 9.30. He darted into the house to sit on his favourite armchair about 9.31. This also meant she got up early. He made sure he was out of the house by 6. It's probably right what the catwoman said, maybe he wouldn't have settled anywhere else. I seem to be the only person he feels comfortable with. I am trying to work on it. If he hears the doorbell he immediately asks to go out the back door. I used to let him, but now I want him to realise that my visitors won't hurt him, and he can always go on his bed under the table in the kitchen, with a tablecloth hanging down hiding him and just listen. BF is *not* a feral cat, he came here with a posh collar on. I don't know what made him so shy. Every time I pick up a chicken drinker to put new water in it, and throw what's in it on the ground he thinks I'm going to throw it over him, and runs away. I wish he could tell me where he came from and what happened to him. I think he was well loved. He came with a very important sort of collar on, and he only liked expensive dry food (after he got over being absolutely starving and would eat anything) I often wonder if his previous owners wonder where he is, I expect they do, but as he isn't microchipped they will never know. Tweed |
#6
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in article , Christina Websell at
wrote on 1/30/05 5:29 PM: "Karen Chuplis" wrote in message ... in article , Christina Websell at wrote on 1/30/05 4:36 PM: I found it very, very touching too. I think some cats really do bond to just one person. I was going to trap and tame Boyfriend and then give him up to the Cat's Protection League to find him a home. Yes! I really was! I didn't want another cat. The woman that runs the local branch said that she doubted, from my description of him, that he would settle anywhere else because he was so nervous. She said if I would agree to keep him, even as a barn kitty, and feed him, that they would pay for his snip. I went away to think about it. Was this just a trick, having the wool pulled over my eyes because I wasn't experienced with cats, an appeal to my better nature? In a way, I suppose it was. My German friend, Nüle. wanted me to keep him. She is very fond of cats herself and she guilt tripped me. When she was staying here one time, BF was just at the stage of sneaking into the conservatory late at night to sleep and disappearing as fast as he could when I opened the back door in the morning. "You will tame him and keep him, of course" she said. Which caused me to reply "What do you mean 'of course?' Of course I won't. I like birdwatching in the garden and having Kitty is bad enough, I DO NOT WANT ANOTHER CAT AND HE GOES TO THE CAT'S HOME AS SOON AS I CAN TRAP HIM!!!!" She said "Ahhhhh.." and then remained silent. "Oh, for goodness sake, what do you mean 'ahhhhh?' " I said. She said nothing for about a minute, and sighed. Then she said "Do you realise that this poor boy has somehow lost his home, this poor kitten - for that's all he is - is totally lost. He's found somewhere safe to sleep and thinks he is lucky and now you will turn him out.." So. That's why I still have him, and I bless the day I decided he could live here. I love him to bits. N could guilt trip for Germany in the Olympics ;-) After this extreme guilt-tripping there wasn't really any chance that he couldn't stay. And yes, he's ruined my birdwatching. Tweed Wow. She is GOOOOOOD! grin Yes, isn't she? She can make me feel bad even though English isn't her first language. Next time she came, Boyfriend refused to come into the house if he saw her in the kitchen or lounge. I told he he was ungrateful and that it was down to her that he was here. He said she talked funny and he wouldn't come in until she went to bed which fortunately for him was around 9.30. He darted into the house to sit on his favourite armchair about 9.31. This also meant she got up early. He made sure he was out of the house by 6. It's probably right what the catwoman said, maybe he wouldn't have settled anywhere else. I seem to be the only person he feels comfortable with. I am trying to work on it. If he hears the doorbell he immediately asks to go out the back door. I used to let him, but now I want him to realise that my visitors won't hurt him, and he can always go on his bed under the table in the kitchen, with a tablecloth hanging down hiding him and just listen. BF is *not* a feral cat, he came here with a posh collar on. I don't know what made him so shy. Every time I pick up a chicken drinker to put new water in it, and throw what's in it on the ground he thinks I'm going to throw it over him, and runs away. I wish he could tell me where he came from and what happened to him. I think he was well loved. He came with a very important sort of collar on, and he only liked expensive dry food (after he got over being absolutely starving and would eat anything) I often wonder if his previous owners wonder where he is, I expect they do, but as he isn't microchipped they will never know. Tweed Some cats are just naturally spooky. It's just their nature. Maybe that's how Boyfriend got lost. He may have been scared and panicked and run off but couldn't find his way back. |
#7
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In article , "Christina Websell"
wrote: BF is *not* a feral cat, he came here with a posh collar on. I don't know what made him so shy. Every time I pick up a chicken drinker to put new water in it, and throw what's in it on the ground he thinks I'm going to throw it over him, and runs away. I wish he could tell me where he came from and what happened to him. I think he was well loved. He came with a very important sort of collar on, and he only liked expensive dry food (after he got over being absolutely starving and would eat anything) I often wonder if his previous owners wonder where he is, I expect they do, but as he isn't microchipped they will never know. I think about the way BF has bonded to you and cares for you, as a most gentlemanly cat. He clearly adores you. If a cat is that capable of love, I really wonder how well he was loved wherever he was before. Perhaps he was pampered as an ornament, and developed some posh tastes, but, if he were loved as much as you love him, I wonder if he would have strayed. |
#8
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O J wrote:
Hi All, This is a sad tale. Sad but beautiful. Thanks for telling it. -- Marina, Frank and Nikki marina (dot) kurten (at) pp (dot) inet (dot) fi Pics at http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/frankiennikki/ and http://community.webshots.com/user/frankiennikki |
#9
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O J wrote: Hi All, This is a sad tale. yes it is - but heartwarming. :*) -L. |
#10
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Howard Berkowitz wrote:
In article , "Christina Websell" wrote: BF is *not* a feral cat, he came here with a posh collar on. I don't know what made him so shy. Every time I pick up a chicken drinker to put new water in it, and throw what's in it on the ground he thinks I'm going to throw it over him, and runs away. I wish he could tell me where he came from and what happened to him. I think he was well loved. He came with a very important sort of collar on, and he only liked expensive dry food (after he got over being absolutely starving and would eat anything) I often wonder if his previous owners wonder where he is, I expect they do, but as he isn't microchipped they will never know. I think about the way BF has bonded to you and cares for you, as a most gentlemanly cat. He clearly adores you. If a cat is that capable of love, I really wonder how well he was loved wherever he was before. Perhaps he was pampered as an ornament, and developed some posh tastes, but, if he were loved as much as you love him, I wonder if he would have strayed. I wonder where Persia came from. She had no collar but had been front-declawed and (apparently) spayed. Yet she cried at my back door for hours to be let inside. And once inside, determined this was HER place. She even slept on the bed with me that first night! Granted, her purrs were sort of distressed, like she wasn't sure. But when I woke up in the morning I found a cat on the pillow over my head! Within a couple of days (while I was trying to find her owners) she made it clear this was HER home. Jill |
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