R.I.P.

October 5, 2012

Two years ago, on May 18, Loki died.  Loki was Peter's cat, but when Peter lived with us Loki, of course, did too, and when Peter moved out for the last time Loki stayed with us.  So, Loki was our cat also.  The experience of living with Loki (owning is the wrong word) was unlike any experience we've ever had with a pet.  Losing him was very difficult for all of us.  I wrote a little piece after he died and in it I said "Losing Loki has been strange.  We’ve had many pets.  We have Lily and Ursula even now.  We’ve lost many pets but never, never have I been affected like this.  The same is true of Nancy.  And of course this has been a terrible loss for Peter.  What was it about Loki?  Nancy thinks that Loki was one of the angels she’s experienced, sent to all of us for a reason - to help and teach us, to fill a need we didn’t know we had - and that it was time for him to go and in his going teach us one last lesson.  That makes sense to me.  What is indisputably true is that he was beautiful, magnificent really.  Gentle but always, always himself.  He was often insistent, loudly so, but would put up with a lot.  Words fail me.  He was very, very important to us and I miss him so very much."

We buried him in the garden.  Later, Nancy and Peter planted a yellow rose bush over him.  In the summer there are always lots of beautiful roses, but it's fall now and, like Loki, they're all gone.  Rest in peace, Loki.