Our dear neighbors Ernie and Helen are grieving a loss right now. Their hilarious, spooky cat named Puddy died, and the folks are taking it hard. Puddy had a very bad infestation of ear mites, to the point where he developed a nasty infection and some necrosis. Helen took him to the vet (the one you pass on your right when you're leaving Gate City and heading up into the mountains to Possum Cough) to have Puddy examined. They needed to do some extensive debriding, so they gave him general anesthesia. The poor little fellow never was able to wake up from the drugs, and so they lost him. Ernie said he will miss "fishing" with Puddy. He had a rubber fish on an old fishing pole, and when the afternoons would stretch out into quiet hours, Ernie would "cast" the fish from the front porch. Puddy would lose his little feline mind and chase the rubber fish as it bounced in the grass. Old Gus will certainly miss his little pal. Even though Puddy tormented the old dawg without mercy, I'm sure Gus would like to once again feel that little golden body clamoring over his large one. I can still hear Gus baying at Puddy when the cat would wrap himself up in one of Gus's pendulous ears and start a-gnawin'. Like Ernie said, "They're family. Plain and simple. Anyone who doesn't believe that, well, I feel sorry for 'em."
Mother was in low spirits again tonight. When I called, they had to wake her from a nap to give her the phone. She constantly admonishes me to take care of myself. "If something happens to you, I'll be all alone here, and I won't ever be able to get out of here." I try to comfort her as best I can. The other day, she broke my heart when she asked, "You reckon if something was to happen to you, if Susan would help me get out of here?" I assured her that MeeMaw would indeed do so, and I let her tell Mother this for herself. I believe it comforted her greatly.
At church yesterday, one of the elders (who is very elderly and somewhat frail himself) offered to accompany me to see Mother if I so desired. I think he wants to provide moral support. And one of the other elders made an incredible offer. This particular elder is a retired fireman, a station commander. He is still active in the firestation activities, and he said, in the middle of Sunday School class, "If you can get your mother transferred up here, when it comes time to go get her, if she can't travel by car and needs an ambulance, I can take care of that for you. We can have an ambulance for free. All we'd have to pay for is gas." It was very difficult for me to maintain my composure at that point. We are blessed beyond all telling.
Loving Lord, watch over us all as this day slips forever into history.
