Angel is with the Angels
Elegy for Angel
You came out of nowhere, on July 29, 1986. Like an Angel. Nadine knocked on the door and said “I’ve got a present for you.“ How did she know it was my birthday?
You fit into my hand, big ears and covered with fleas. Wonderful markings, a black spot on your left side, ears surrounded by grey-black half circles with an extra dab thrown in.
I didn’t want you at first, I must confess. I called Sue and asked what to do, and she said “Take her,” and so I did.
Worms, fleas, playfulness and all. Straight to the vet to clear things up, and off we went for a house sitting visit to Janet. I remember you, full of energy, bounding down the house wanting to go out, but I was too afraid to let you explore yet.
At Marine Street, your paradise, you grew and caught birds, made friends with Sesame, who taught you all sorts of cat secrets, and you generally kept us together. Of course, you got into trouble and ended up on the neighbor’s roof and we were frantic with worry on how to get you back. Jack threw a ladder across from one roof to the other, and the ye old faithful cooked chicken in a pot lured you back across to safety.
Times were good, you feasted on Trader Joe’s tuna and crunchies, climbed trees and chased squirrels, and endured our fights. You got to know Mutz and Judy, Julia and the gang. Each night you slipped under the covers - I never could figure out how you managed to breathe. In the middle of the night, though, I could hear the sound of crunchies, as reassuring as my parents quiet chatter in the car on a vacation trip.
One day, however, the wonderful days at Marine came to an end, and I remember seeing you at the top of the stairs all hunched together looking down at me, unaware of what was going to happen, but somehow calm and strong.
I came back on the evening of Feb. 15, 1992 to say goodbye to you as Sue was going to care for you. I could barely stand being apart from you, and was overjoyed to see you again a few months later when you took possession of Judy’s house and became top cat.
it was good there in Venice, plenty of places to explore, and every night we slept together. In May of 1993 I got a chance to move to Redondo Beach with you where you had a whole backyard to play in, a double door to perch on, and I could be there every day except when I had to leave you to go to West LA for clients.
Sue came down to visit a couple of times, and you always seemed to perk up when we chatted and placed yourself right in the middle of the conversation creating a beautiful triangle. I remember those triangles fondly.
Then in the fall you were off with Sue again, this time to Palms, and I drifted around from Agoura to here and there, ending up joining her and the three of us survived confinement, earthquakes and moving.
There we have the most beautiful photo of you on the bed on Sue’s quilt, your contentment belying the earthquake which had happened, a time where you found the one place to hide in an instant - behind the sofa.
You got out once and we searched frantically for you for days. I was so relieved when we found you as the psychic had said “where a trash barrel is near an outside stairway.” There you were all right. Yippee!
Then we were off to North Carolina with a carton of TJ’s tuna, and you were so good on the plane. Not a peep or anything. You settled right in and we became pals especially for our nighttime ball game at 11 PM.
I fear sometimes, Angel, that I have taken you for granted, but I have always loved you and cherished our time together. I always made sure someone would take care of you when I was gone, and remember returning after a trip and finding that you had begun to get sick.
Well, that awful Asheville vet really cut you up, and you were never quite the same after that.
You never complained, and rolled with the punches, but I knew you missed LA. When Leo came on the scene, I discovered he was a bully, and I knew we had to get you out of there. One lovely June day, while you were out on the balcony, we whisked you into the cat carrier down to Charlotte, and you got to come home. Sue said you purred from the moment you got out of the cage.
I came some time later, and had to spend a few months apart from you again, after the summer heat of Ojai
ended and it was cooler and more to your liking.
And here you have been with me since 1998 - a wonderful almost 7 years. We came close to putting you away in 2001 but you survived another 4 years and tolerated Moon and Alix and Diesel and finally Brandy Bandit.
Much of the last few years you had to lie on your chair and come for food every few hours. Wet bathroom floors and throw-ups were almost a daily occurrence, yet you never complained.
I am so sorry Angel, that your end had to be so tortured. You handled so bravely, swaying to and fro on rubbery legs trying to find any way to stand up, twisting and turning with pain. When your leg slowly came back down to the floor, I knew it was over. I put you on your red heating pad on the sofa for just a while, and then we wrapped you in a towel with Sue’s initial on it.
And now you rest in peace my beloved Angel. A bouquet of flowers stands over your temporary resting place outside. I wish I could have done it differently.
The next morning, I went to Mary’s. We put you on her kitchen table and remembered, amidst pink roses from the rose hip bush, all the wonderful things about you, including bites on the feet and insistence on your way. I rubbed your
soft pads again and again and then kissed your head.
I placed the last big red rose from the garden on you and Mary wrapped you in a required black plastic bag and we accompanied you to join the ethers. “Angel” the woman said at the pound, when she asked for your name, as it she were savoring a fine wine. I patted you once more and said a final good bye.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all you have given me in these 19 years. I miss you at every turn in the house - in the bathroom where your box and dish were, after eating cereal when the rice dream collects at the bottom, yes even at night when I got up and found you waiting for food, and in a hundred different ways I discover daily.
You have taught me so much, and I still will listen to you from beyond to tell me what you have to say. I will never forget you and thank you for your kindness to me.
Thanks for being there for me. Thanks for being you.
Naomi
July 29,