Sorry for the delay in blog entries, but it has taken me almost a month to get to this point, the point at which I think I am ready to finish writing this blog. With the passing of "The Cat", I just wasn't in the mood to write. So, now that I have mustered up the courage to pay tribute to our beloved friend and long-time companion........Where to begin?
It all started back in Japan, sometime in Dec 1987. Fran's exact birthday remains a mystery or is it that "girl" thing where they hate to admit their true age. It was early on in my naval career when a navy couple, Robin & Bill, surprised me one day at their apartment with a surprise present, "an early Christmas gift" they said. It turned out that this present (a large, box shaped object which was covered in wrapping paper) was in fact a litter box. And if my memory serves me correctly, the little darling was also inside the litter box.
Little Fran (not sure how I came up with the name, in fact I think I started off calling her "Fred", just because that's the way my warped mind works sometimes). Eventually, the "boyish" name morphed into something a little more feminine, and in time Frannie, Francheska and Fran became her identity. I think, just like we do with our beloved sons and daughters, Francheska was normally used when we were a little upset with our little darling. For example, I seem to recall using that term of endearment on those early morning "step in the pile of cat puke" mornings. I can just hear us now, "Francheska, come clean this up right now!"
Anyway she was the cutest little thing, something that they had picked up at a local animal shelter. Who needs an expensive little Scottish Fold (reference to the current book that I am reading, "The Cat who went to Paris"). I recall that I got her fixed and de-clawed when she was a young-un. I figured she would hate me less if this intrusive procedure happened sooner rather than later in life. I guess it makes us feel better if we try to rationalize our decisions (especially after she came home from the vets with her little paws all bandaged up), but the intention was for her to always remain an indoor cat, so I don't think she ever missed her front claws and the furniture has been eternally grateful for my decisive move. I now have mixed emotions about getting her fixed, because it sure would have been nice to have seen her kittens, but in the long run there are too many unwanted animals out there already, so no regrets.
From the moment we first met, she has always been my "best buddy". Always there to comfort me when I was down, share a good book (actually it was more like climb all over the book that I was trying to read) and always ready to rough house with a game of "chase the hand under the sheets". Chris has always said that she has never seen an animal so devoted to one person before.
And of course, being a cat she was always up for one of my favorite pastimes.
More than happy to keep me company any time of the day:
I think if Fran would have spoken before she passed on (Not that we didn't attempt to hear her speak on various Christmas eve nights - Sorry...you have to ask Chris about that one), I truly feel she would have said she lived a good life. From her jet-set lifestyle (OK... she moved around with us as a Navy family, but that did get her on a few jet airplanes and into various countries and states) to her hand-fed and pre-chewed chicken dinners, lavish and stylish party hats, she would have said that she had it all.
It has been a long month without her; the apartment has never been so quiet. We often catch ourselves looking for her at the door, on the heated bathroom floor or by her radiator. We will miss the early morning wake up calls (feed me!), the crazy walking in circles for no apparent reason moments, her outrageously funny and sometimes bizarre Siamese meow, the cute "pick me up because I am reaching up to you with my paw" move and most of all just her overwhelming lovable charm and unconditional love that particularly came through in her later years in life.
Rest in peace little one......Love, Mom & Dad
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