And Then There Were Three...

Tigger Reclining
September 2005 Outside Raleighwood, NC
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I called Bonn on the way home last night and instead of talking about making dinner and how her dentist appointment had gone she answered in a panic. Tigg, her constant companion of the cats, the one that was clearly her cat, was missing.

After she had come home from the dentist's he had eaten a bit and then went outside. She had been outside calling for him for an hour and there was no sign of him. As her constant companion he had always come to the sound of her voice calling him, especially whenever there was worry or concern in her voice. And there was lots of worry and concern coming through her tears.

When I got home I got one of our barely-working flashlights and went out back calling for him. After about 15 minutes of stumbling around I found him. He was laying underneath a scrub tree, looking like he was sound asleep.

And that's what I think happened. He went outside and laid down for a nice nap. Then Hader came along and told him it was time to come with him to The Crab Shack and, with a slight smile on his face (and food still on his cheek) he left this side of the veil for that one.

It was quick. It was painless. It was unexpected.

All of which should make his absence less painful for us. And, in some ways, I suppose it does.

Still, the house has felt like there was something missing now for a year. Today, with just the three, it seems almost empty.




If you would, please give the four-legged companions in your home an extra hug and a treat tonight for being in your lives.

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