This Thursday, 28 January, I said good-bye to a dear friend. My cat Maxmillian died. Max joined my pride in the fall of 1996, after the olympic games and after I was burglarized. I adopted Max during graduate school as I sought to create some normalcy in my life after the burglary.
I went to a sketchy part of Atlanta to the shelter that had advertised cats for adoption. I knew when I saw him, Max was my cat.
We traveled via MARTA back to Buckhead to my apartment, and Max did want to be in the box that was provided and he almost escaped as he jumped from the box and ran across the front of my apartment building. He came to me when I called his name. (SHOCKING!)
Fourteen years later, I spent the day with Maxmillian, reminiscing with him about the journey of his life. Max taught me a great deal about life.
1. Always ask for what you want.
Max loved shrimp. He begged when I was eating it. Because he was so vocal, he always got some shrimp. By asking, he received. If you don't ask, you will never know if you would have gotten what you wanted.
2. Sometimes you need to go back to bed and start the day again.
My mom was visiting Atlanta. We couldn't find Max. Max had curled up under the blankets back in bad. Periodically, when I couldn't find Max, I would look and there he was under his favorite blankets taking sleeping on my bed.
3. A nap gives you a whole new perspective.
Cats are notorious for napping, hence the phrase, 'cat-nap.' Max was no different. Sleeping in the middle of the day, created a new perspective. During graduate school, I adopted this attitude of afternoon naps and I was able to maintain focus.
4. Taking a break to play keeps you youthful.
Max loved to help me study. As I was writing my thesis and working on other projects, Max was always ready to play. Whenever I crumbled a sheet of paper with from a mistake, Max was there waiting for me to throw it across the room. He would chase the ball of paper across the room and play with it and then ask for another.
5. Stretch when you get up.
Upon rising, Max would stretch. Before getting up, before curling up, Max would stretch.
6. Be loyal to your friends.
7. Love unconditionally.
8. Listen.
9. Always be well-groomed.
10. Love your friends.
Maxmillian, Madeleine (my other black cat) and I were living in Union City, NJ when Shadow came to live with us. Shadow had managed to tree-himself on a snowy February morning. After luring Shadow down from the tree, he joined the family. Shadow was a small-terror, but he quickly became my cat. Shadow and Maxmillian became best 'cats'. Where one was, the other wasn't too far behind.
I was truly blessed to have had Maxmillian as my cat. Now, it is just Shadow and I.
I am glad that Max was around to remind me of the basic things that make life great.
I will miss you, Max.
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