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FLRC Newsletter - Apr 2004 |
| Tillie Lee (1985-2004) | |
My beloved 19-year-old cat Tillie Lee died March 12 of a sudden and rapid-growing brain tumor. Until the final week of her life, Tillie was an amazing cat for her age with robust tricks to spare. With long hair and exotic markings, my only child Tillie was so beautiful it would take your breath away.
Everyone who is close to me knows how much Tillie meant to me. She has been with me through by darkest nights and brightest days -- through the deaths of my parents, broken bones, illness, fear and pain; through triumphs in running; fun with friends and disco dancing in the dark.
Imagine having a pet in your life for 19 years?!
I have a cartoon on my refrigerator that depicts an angry cat watching her human mother type on a computer laptop. The cat growls: "I thought I was your laptop!" That was Tillie, because whenever I was working on this newsletter or a running column, Tillie would be jealous, swear at me in an ear-piercing scream, then jump in my lap while I finished the assignment. You might say, along with Tracy, Tillie was an assistant editor.
Tillie could brush her own hair; loved cheese-flavored potato chips; could rip the flesh off your hand in seconds; delivered gutted chipmucks as gifts; raced an outdoor obstacle course faster than Marion Jones and played soccer as well as Mia Hamm -- and never, ever backed down from a fight!
Tillie is survived by her stepdad Joe Reynolds, aunts Phyllis, Sally and Pam, and uncle John Stiner. This is my family who knew Tillie the best, and when the worst happened, they all kicked into action to help me.
Many thanks to Christine Reynolds, Sue Aigen, Dorothy Sholeen, Deb, Lorrie Tily, Kevin Pasterchik, Suzy Myette, Joe Dabes and Kathy Brennan, Cathy Troisi and PJ Peterman for their visits, calls, e-mails and gifts. And, for the vets at ARC in Trumansburg, who took Tillie and me in as an emergency, and gave us comfort and care.
We live in a town with a famous Vet School, and I know many of our club members have dogs and cats whom they love. I add my sympathies to Dorothy and John Sholeen, and Frank and Sally Rusby, who recently had to put their respective 15-year-old dogs Rachel and Katy to sleep as well. And to Joe D. and Kathy, who lost Jill earlier this year.
I will get another cat. I just need some time…
(Some gorgeous pictures of this beautiful cat appear in the paper edition of the newsletter.)
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