Fate [Revision]

1.

‘No more cats!’ I vowed, when

Freya and Levi (numbers 6 and 7

brother and sister) finally, in turn

crossed the Rainbow Bridge, at 

a goodly age, only a year apart. 

‘It hurts too much,’ I said.

But my friend’s daughter, who 

bought Queenie off Gum Tree, 

had a sudden change of circumstance, 

couldn’t keep her. ‘Please!’ 

begged my friend. ‘She’s so lovely!’ 

(Her own landlord didn’t allow.)

‘Don’t let her go to the Pound!’ So I didn’t. 

I renamed her Selene (moon goddess)

rhyming with the name she knew.

She was elegant, mysterious, aloof

as the moon, or a goddess. And traumatised

by two so sudden changes of home.

It took months for us to get past detente.

But she went from wary to sleeping on me, 

purring. And I came to love her fiercely. 

She wasn’t young, and carried within her

seeds of an unknown illness. The vet said

to investigate further risked in itself killing her.

Three happy years, then a sudden decline.

I did what I had to, to save her further pain.

‘That’s really it!’ I said. ‘I can’t go past

that intense, unexpected love, that too-brief

fulfilment, that piercing grief. No more

cats, ever! This time I really mean it.’

2.

Only a few months later, friend-of-a-friend’s 

dearly-loved puss could not travel with them 

to their new home (long story). To be ‘put down,’

only because they couldn’t allow her to go 

to just anyone. I arranged a few visits to Poppi 

and her people, for us all to get acquainted. 

A dignified little personage, she liked me 

at once. When the time came, I didn’t fetch her; 

they brought her to me, with all her familiar stuff.

Her favourite person hugged her goodbye, imploring,

 ‘Take good care of her!’ – unshed tears

misting his eyes. ‘I promise!’ I said.

She settled in, explored the space. The third day

she went all over as if looking for something … 

someone? But then she turned wholeheartedly 

to me. Loved and pampered all her life, affection

and trust came easily to her. And she knew me,

knew that I came with her first family’s blessing.

She’s an old girl (like me) – ten when she moved in. 

Now, three and a bit years later, she’s my treasure, my 

constant joy, my greatest blessing, and yes, my dear love, 

the perfect cat for me in this present time – which seems

as if it will stretch a lot longer yet. Lightning strikes twice! 

Two major events: unforeseen, undesired. Miraculous!

[Revised 3 July '24. Earlier draft posted 8 April.]