Who is that I see out the corner of my eye?
Every so often when I am overcome by circumstances in my life I see something in the shadows flitting about.
It's for sure not death, it's much smaller and mostly stays in the shadows where I cannot make out what it is.
Sometimes when I least expect it, I see a pair of jade green eyes staring out at me. It's at that point I realize what is staring at me from the shadows, call me insane if you must but I am convinced I know who it is and why it is there looking in on me.
My old friend timer checking up on me, reinforcing his lessons that he taught be while he was dieing. I know it might sound strange to say I learned a lot about living to the fullest from an ancient cat, but I did. Timer never understood he was old, he only behaved that way towards the very end of his life when he was more than old, he was the oldest animal I have ever seen 23 years old and had the heart of a cat in its prime to the very end.
In his final year he would saunter out into the back yard to enjoy the sun and one time a blue jay landed a little to close to the old fella and snatch timer had him some blue jay feathers and one pissed off bird screeching as it fled for its life. Another time he was in house and Simon and Buffy were outside and a stray came into the yard, well Simon and Buffy are both cowards and did nothing but cower by the back screen,. well timer took one look and hit the screen door so hard it rattled, he bounced off and hit it again and again wanting to go outside and defend his "cats" and territory, finally I had to grab him to keep from hurting himself.
Timer, I thank you for looking in on me and reminding me what dignity is. I miss you old friend.