Again With The Old People Theme.

One time I was driving my kids home from school when I heard Sasha, way in the back of the mini-van, say a quiet little "aw" with a genuinely sympathetic tone in her voice.

"What?" I said eagerly. "What?"

I was excited because she was 13 or 14 at the time and had entered a dark and uncommunicative period, punctuated by rude behavior and angry outbursts. Hearing this quiet and sympathetic murmur from the back seat made my heart leap in gladness. She has a heart! Her teenage phase is over! Wow, that was quick!

I turned out to be wrong about the teenage phase being over. But she was aw-ing because we had just passed an old man who was fumbling with a hammer and nails, putting up a Lost Cat notice on the telephone pole. An old man looking for a lost pet. It really was sort of pathetic and sad.

I was reminded of this yesterday when I came home from work and listened to a message from my mother that the sick cat had been put to sleep at the vet's that morning. Old people putting their cat to sleep. An old lady whispering to her cat, who still purrs, while the vet administers the injection. How fucking sad is that?

My parents are bereft. He was an unsatisfactory pet in many ways, as my sister Julie pointed out to me, but they adored him. His memory will live on because whenever we walk in the house we will smell the faint odor of cat piss. He expressed himself by spraying liberally, mostly on my father's side of the bed, but also on the couch in the living room.

It's not as if he ruined their house or anything, because a parade of previous pets had also all left their various scents and stains. My mother really goes for bad animals that no one else will have.

My father and my nephew dug a grave in the backyard. It was not an easy task because the drought has baked that Maryland clay into one gigantic brick. They were not able to dig very deep, so they put rocks on top of the grave to discourage any marauding animals. Let's all hope that there is not a macabre postscript to this story.

I picked up some Thai food and went over to visit them. (I am the Good Daughter! IN YOUR FACE, SIBLINGS!) We reminisced about the many, many other pets that are also buried in the backyard.

I was glad that I went over.

Off to work now. I had to use my mean teacher voice yesterday because DAMN this is a chatty bunch of kids who WILL not shut up. Oh, and little Estafania stole some shit yesterday and was cheerfully unrepentant, although she did seem sorry that she got caught.

More news as it develops.

Comments

[blackbird]

aw.

[Margaret]

Teenagers at their worst often have a soft spot for older people and animals. (why can't they have those same tender feelings toward their parents??) I'm sorry about the cat; our Kendra is quite unsatisfactory, but also original and funny. We will all be sad when something happens to her. I'm glad that you were the GOOD daughter. I've been using my stern teacher voice quite a bit this year--mainly in 2nd period.

[bonnie]

You were kind to take dinner to your parents. (((hugs)))

Yoga was invented for to engage and relax the minds of active teenage boys, but it calms the minds of chatty children, as well.

[Wende]

I adore Bonnie, but she's lying about the YOGA. My chatty 11 year old is STILL chatty, if not more so, since he took up the craft. Humph! :D

I'm so sorry about the cat. You are the good daughter. The closest I come to being that is lecturing my mother about her health-care choices. Grrr.

[Blue]

Oh, I feel for them! A familiar and loved pet dying is hard enough for us "younger" folks, but for older ones it really must be difficult to say goodbye. Glad you gave some extra TLC to your folks.

[Egret's Nest]

Sorry about the cat. That is sad. I have yet to have an "un-chatty" class -- must be something about my classroom management.

Love the unrepentant thief story.

[maddy]

The animal-to-sleep thing is difficult. Sigh.

Thai food sounds good to me.

[Mrs. S]

My condolences to your folks - no matter how 'bad' a pet it, it's always heartbreaking to lose them.

Also? You totally are the good child. We can all tell ;)

[Keri]

So sad for you. So sad for your folks. :( Aw.

[Vanessa]

Awww is right. So sorry for their loss. Even when it's a difficult animal, it's still hard to say goodbye.