In Memoriam

 Last night we had to put my dear Hedy to sleep. She has had kidney problems for the past three to four years and it finally caught up with her. She has been with me for a little over eleven years and has lived in Greensboro, Chapel Hill, Wilmington, Greensboro (again), and then made the trip to Denver nine months ago. In Colorado she finally didn't have allergy problems, which somehow made me feel a little better as her kidneys got worse.

She first came to live with me and my roommate Sheila when I was in grad school. She was six months old and had been a stray cat found on the side of the road somewhere. Nearly six months later Hedy and I moved into an apartment by ourselves. When someone broke into an apartment across the street and attacked a woman Hedy in some way became my protector. She would sit on the edge of the couch near the door. Alert to every tiny sound or movement. She always seemed to know if I was scared, sad, or happy. She wasn't a touchy-feely cat and didn't want to constantly sit in your lap and be petted. In fact, she hated to be picked up or handled. She was feisty to say the least. But, if you ever needed comfort she would suddenly be there with you. She may not have given you a lot of affection, but her presence was powerful. Whenever I was away for a trip when I got back she would coming running and be so happy I was back. I always knew she missed me.

Hedy was the most beautiful cat. Her hair was soft like a rabbit and stayed that way until the very end. She loved to be scratched under her chin and I loved to scratch her head between her ears. It was so soft and like kitten fur. She never seemed to age. I named her after Hedy Lamarr, which was the most apropos namesake because they were both beautiful and incredibly smart. If you called Hedy, she would come running. She'd look at you like, "Yes, what do you need?"

I will miss her so much. She was truly the Queen of our home.