Nov. 23rd, 2005
And if you don't love me, let me go
Nov. 23rd, 2005 08:21 pmI got done ahead of schedule. At three o'clock, the ink on the signature page was smeared as my hand brushed against it immediately after signing. Perfect. I walked the 1.06 miles to the post office to drop off my already stamped priority mail envelopes. I brought along Sophie because she would enjoy the walk and.....on the way home is the vet's office where she was going to be boarded until Friday. At 4 pm I was standing outside the office, tapping on the glass. Locked. Empty. Hmm. Suddenly a vague auditory memory from the phone conversation yesterday, something about dropping her off on Wednesday between...what times? One of the was 7. Was it 5-7? or 7-9?
We headed home, Sophie relieved to be gone from the place.
At 6:30 when I picked up the leash again, she wagged so hard she couldn't walk or stand. She could barely sit still long enough to get strapped in and out the door. Two! Two walks in one day!
This time it was dark, but not much colder than the afternoon. She seemed less alert about the outside world, more in tune to me, sticking close, not pulling to far ahead, remembering to stay sitting at intersections until I started walking. We got back to the vet and the door was open, someone was standing right there in the foyer. She knew. She didn't like it. After we weighed her, she kept pulling for the door. Ok! We're done! I'm ready! Let's get outta here!
I handed the leash to the tech and thanked him. I was almost to the door when I heard him saying, 'no Sophie, come, come here.' I turn and she's sitting low, almost lying down, almost appearing limp like a protester resisting arrest and no matter how hard he pulls the leash, she's dug in and isn't moving. I start to go towards her, but he picks her up. I shake my head and laugh at her. "What a baby!" We bid each other happy thanksgivings and I leave.
It's weird to be sitting in the house without her. I keep trying to cajole the cat into exploring the rest of the apartment, including snuggling with me, but she only wants to do things on her own time. She pops her head in occasionally, wanders into the other rooms, but mostly she's staying in her usual spot on top of the fridge.
Now I have to laugh at myself. I'm the big baby.
We headed home, Sophie relieved to be gone from the place.
At 6:30 when I picked up the leash again, she wagged so hard she couldn't walk or stand. She could barely sit still long enough to get strapped in and out the door. Two! Two walks in one day!
This time it was dark, but not much colder than the afternoon. She seemed less alert about the outside world, more in tune to me, sticking close, not pulling to far ahead, remembering to stay sitting at intersections until I started walking. We got back to the vet and the door was open, someone was standing right there in the foyer. She knew. She didn't like it. After we weighed her, she kept pulling for the door. Ok! We're done! I'm ready! Let's get outta here!
I handed the leash to the tech and thanked him. I was almost to the door when I heard him saying, 'no Sophie, come, come here.' I turn and she's sitting low, almost lying down, almost appearing limp like a protester resisting arrest and no matter how hard he pulls the leash, she's dug in and isn't moving. I start to go towards her, but he picks her up. I shake my head and laugh at her. "What a baby!" We bid each other happy thanksgivings and I leave.
It's weird to be sitting in the house without her. I keep trying to cajole the cat into exploring the rest of the apartment, including snuggling with me, but she only wants to do things on her own time. She pops her head in occasionally, wanders into the other rooms, but mostly she's staying in her usual spot on top of the fridge.
Now I have to laugh at myself. I'm the big baby.