Pet Stories: In Your Own Words

My pet story begins when my husband and I were first married 23 years ago. We discovered a stray, very bedraggled looking black kitten on our outside window ledge. We tried our best to ignore it, but it just sat there and cried piteously for two days. Finally, my husband and I could stand it no longer and took it in, naming it Rambler. Rambler lived there with us for about 5 years. We eventually moved across town and, of course, Rambler moved too. He had always been an inside/outside cat, depending on what environ struck his fancy at the moment. When I would nap or sleep at night he would jump up on the bed, circle a few times like they do, and then curl up behind my knees. It was his favorite spot. After another 3 years or so, he disappeared. We roamed the streets and yards for days and never did find him. It seemed he had simply vanished into thin air! I was devastated beyond repair, beating myself up for letting him go outside and be subjected to all the hazards there.

After about two weeks, I had decided one day to take a short nap and lay down on the bed. I emphasize that I was not asleep as I had only been lying there for about 15 sec. Suddenly I felt the bed "jiggle", just like it felt when he used to jump up on it to sleep next to me. Then, I felt him circle his spot and felt the warmth of his body next to my knees. I was stunned, of course, but not afraid. I looked around to see what was happening and nothing was there.

On an intellectual level I tend to think it was my imagination, creating a circumstance in which I could feel less guilty or sad about his passing, but then again ..... maybe it really was him. Perhaps he was telling me he was not alone or in pain and remembered me fondly. I prefer to believe the latter *smile*.

At any rate, I will remember him always and the joy he gave me during his lifetime.