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I want to thank everyone who has sent me a message concerning the death of my lovely cat. It really helped me to start to come to terms with his death.
I cried for him last night.
I remembered all the funny little things he did: the way he used to play ´´fetch´´ with the metal clasps from wine bottles, the way he always directed you to whether to throw the thing into the bathtub or the kitchen, the time he climbed into the back of a removal van and ended up on the Cape, the way he used to like to nest in your underwear while you were taking a dump, how he climbed into the bathtub after you had showered and licked the water off the bathtub walls, the way he would stretch out on you lap so that his front paws touched your toes, his famous purple blanket ( only those of you who actually knew him will understand that one: good taste prevents me from describing what happened, but I can tell you it was hilariously funny!), the way he climbed into a refridgerator as a kitten, the way he let me know when he wanted to
go out, our special whistle that brought him back running every time, his magnificent tail: what a beautiful cat he was, even as an older boy with his belly swinging from side to side as he ran.
When he was only a few weeks old he fell out of a tree and hurt himself while Almitra and I were staying near Mount Monadnock. Twelve years later it´s a fall from a tree that ends up killing him.
He had a long and mostly happy life. He was loved equally by Almitra and I. He was free. He could eat what he wanted, sleep when he wanted, hunt when he wanted. He loved to be brushed, especially while eating. He had favorite places to sleep that would change every few weeks. He was not an easy cat, but I loved everything about him.
I doubt I will ever have another relationship with a cat like this one.
So thanks again, all of you, for your kindness and thoughtfulness.
Aside from my misery last night, and my worry ever since he fell from the tree, the last couple of days have been very eventful here on the beautiful island.
After only
a day or so back on my own, I´ve met two very interesting chaps and have developed my friendship with the lovely, kind Adriana and Gabi, our hosts here at Your Way.
This house feels like my house after so many days here. There are five or six cats here, and having them around has been really helpful, not just the lovely kitten, Nameless, but all the others, too.
The first chap I met was as a result of there being no water in my shower. Adrianna went to get her Mr. Fixit friend from next door. Next thing, I hear this broad Cheshire accent saying, ´So turn on the shower Mike'. The water returns, and I go outside, where I meet the owner of the accent.
He´s a Scot named George who grew up in Chester 20 miles from my hometown. He invites me into his house next door, where the BBC World service plays on the Satellite T.V., and we drink tea and end up chatting like old friends for two hours.
He´s been living here for twenty years, after sailing across the Atlantic, pulling into the harbor one fateful night and never leaving! He´s in his sixties
with two grown sons. He is obsessed with dolphins and is convinced that they can heal people with mental problems. He told me the whole story of first swimming with dolphins in the Med, then 24 hours later buying a sailboat, refitting the whole thing top to bottom, then rescuing his mother from the doldrums by sailing with her around the Med for two years, then making the fateful journey that ended here.
He´s been studying dolphins, of which there are many here, ever since.
He´s a fascinating chap indeed. I arranged to meet him later for a few beers, but ended up not doing so because of the second really interesting chap I met.
The new guy had just arrived off the plane. His name is Dani. He lives in the South of Spain in the historic city of Cadiz, a city of which Dani is very proud. He is a teacher of philosophy in Spain, 29 years old, and we hit it off immediately.
Within twenty minutes we´re talking about the meaning of life, and for the last two days we´ve been talking about everything: from what is art? to the ghosts that haunt our pasts, from relativity
swell
This place is usually a duck pond. yesterdaay huge swells came in! and the quantum world, to the consequences of family life.
It´s particularly fascinating to hang around with a chap like Dani. I keep seeing women looking over towards us. I realise that they are all gulping up Dani: As you know, a chap in my age group is basically invisible to most women: it´s quite a blast from the past to suddenly see the eyes of women again, even if they´re not turned exactly in my direction.
Yesterday, as my cat lay dying, I walked the length of the island with Dani, swimming and talking, then all the way back. For the third day in a row there were enormous waves. The snorkelling was a bit better again yesterday. The walk was spectacularly beautiful. After seeing some really strange fish, eating a meal at a beach restaurant, then finding we didn´t have enough money to pay for it, then stumbling back over the rocky headland as darkness fell. I got back in time to read Almitra´s sad message about Boy.
The rest of the night was a blur.
Today is another day.
See you on the flypaper,
mike
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karen
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Mike, I am so sorry to hear about Boy. He seemed like a special friend.