That soft weight missing from our laps...

[senoritafish]

Bob Laughlin

Also known as Yessirree Bob, Bob-Bob-a-Ree-Bob, Bob-Not-My-Dad-Bob and Get Offa There, Ya Damn Cat.

?/1988 - 7/6/2004 11:30 pm

I know I've sent this to to some of you when you lost a pet, and you've probably seen it so often it seems trite. This time it's for myself.

In Memory of Our Cat, Ralph

When we got home, it was almost dark.
Our neighbor waited on the walk.
"I'm sorry I have bad news," he said.
"Your cat, the gray-black one, is dead.
I found him by the garage an hour ago."
"Thank you, " I said, "for letting us know."

We dug a hole in the flower bed,
The lilac bushes overhead,
Where this cat loved to lie in spring
And roll in the dirt and eat the green
Delicious first spring buds,
And laid him down and covered him up,
Wrapped in a piece of tablecloth,
Our good old cat laid in the earth.

We quickly turned and went inside
The empty house and sat and cried
Softly in the dark some tears
For that familiar voice, that fur,
That soft weight missing from our laps,
That we had loved too well perhaps
And mourned from weakness of the heart:
A childish weakness, to regard
An animal whose life is brief
With such affection and such grief.

If this is foolish, so it be.
He was good company,
And we miss his gift
Of cat affection while he lived,
The sweet shy nature
Of that graceful creature
Who gave the pleasure of himself:
The memory of our cat, Ralph.
- Garrison Keillor

We love you, Bob. We always will.

Comments

[anneelise.livejournal.com]

*huggles fishie hard* loosing a cat is tough... take care you guys... he lived for 16 years... the poem is nice... not trite at all... *huggles more*

[senoritafish.livejournal.com]

I've loved the poem for a long time, especially when Garrison reads it himself. The only thing that doesn't fit is that Bob was not shy, and seldom graceful, but it's written with such love, it doesn't matter.

We still have three other cats, but Bob was the top cat and had a lot of presence. His absense leaves a huge hole.

[vwsrmylife.livejournal.com]

im sorry momma
g

[senoritafish.livejournal.com]

Thanks. *hugs*

[bakayaro-onna.livejournal.com]

I think you already know how I feel about it, and I am thinking of you and your family while you all grieve.

From what I see above, it seems Bob did leave this life while at home and surrounded by his loving family. You can't ask for much more than that.

Take care and know I am with you.

[senoritafish.livejournal.com]

In the end, he made the decision himself. If I know him, he left to avoid the noise the kids were making (we are a loud bunch), flicking his short tail in irritation the whole time. *wry, sad smile*

We miss him intensely. Thanks.

[talonsage.livejournal.com]

*hugs you tightly*

I am so so sorry...it's horribly hard to lose a family member like that. Fur and paws...they leave more than hair and the raspy feel of their tongues, the touch of their cold noses, the annoyed flip of their tails behind...

It's not what they leave behind though that really hurts...it's what they take with them...a piece of our hearts...and our family...as it was, and never can be again once they leave.

*nuzzles you* I'm so terribly sorry and sad for you and your family honey...

[senoritafish.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for your thoughts. Your words are beautiful.
*hugs you back*

I know it must have been time for him to go, but it took me but surprise. It was less than three weeks ago he jumped on the neighbor's dog.

[nastley.livejournal.com]

Aw *hugs* I suppose there's not much else to say.

It's surprising how many different names you can have for your pets isn't it! Our old cat must have had about 5 at least (all invented by me I think) it's quite surprising he even recognised his name :o) He's not with us anymore either but I still miss him just as much!

[senoritafish.livejournal.com]

Ah well, Bob is easy to make silly, affectionate appellations with. It's also my dad's name, hence the third one.

I know; it's difficult to respond to these kinds of things, isn't it? I still miss Ringo, the cat I had before Bob = we miss them forever, I think. Thanks for the thoughts, and it's good to see you here.

[megthelegend.livejournal.com]

Ah, damn, sweetie.

Sorry to hear it.

Cats are wonderful, ornery, stinky, fastidious, selfish, loving, scratchy animals, and I can totally understand how he's left a big hole in your lives.

::hugs you::

[senoritafish.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much, Meg. That sentence has me laughing and crying at the same time. It's so true. *hugs you back*

[(Anonymous)]

Hi Leeanne, I was very sorry to hear about your cat. I know you will miss her(him?) for a long time. Our pets become such a part of the family it's hard to adjust to their absence.

I just wanted you to know I sympathize with you and your family. Take care and hope to see you next month. That interview with Robert Silverberg is very enlightening but I still need to finish it.
Bye,
Connie