Monte

I love you, Montgomery. Monte the cat. Montgomery jack-O-lantern gentleman farmer smith. I loved you when I first saw you, among the wires and cables in that little box under the TV. I held you and you were the one. I knew it. You were fluffy and soft and sweet and green-eyed. You were timid but daring. We found you in a small town in West Virginia--the type whose people went all out for Halloween. There was a fair and we saw a giant apple. We bought a vintage fiestaware kettle. You slept on my shoulder all the way home. You did that so many times; we had so many adventures in Rockville, aDC, PA, NJ on the trains, buses, even planes. You were social at our parties and afraid of my friends' toddlers. But I let them pet you anyway. You snuggled and played and chewed things up. You hid pieces to puzzles and games. You loved sleeping in the boggle box. You fared winter and spring and summer and fall with us. We loved HALLOWEEN best.


We packed up and you followed us into a moving truck and across the country. We slept in a tent under the stars, the wind blowing all around us. You became a big brother kitty and kitty to a little boy. This freaked you out!!!!!! But you grew older and more calm and mature. We had another baby, a girl, and this time you knew. You cuddled me every chance you got. You were loyal and soft and let daddy groom you and me cut your nails, even let us bathe you!!!! Remembering that makes me laugh and cry. You loved to look outside, be outside, hunt, explore. Once I saw you jump up and catch a bird in your mouth in mid air!!!! Craziest thing ever. It was awesome. You weren't always super graceful but you could hunt. You could catch critters and crooks. You were a good cat. You were a good companion and good family member. You made us laugh all the time. You are missed. It's painful in the middle of the night when I reach my foot down to the edge of the bed to pet your soft fur. I see something black out of the corner of my eye and my heart wishes so hard that it's you. Dot misses you so much. But I know you've lived a happy life. We will see you again someday!!! Daddy and I will never forget you. Love you, my little halloween kitty. My Monte.