'WILLOW BEASTIE' (The ONLY unhappieness she ever gave me was the 'DAY SHE LEFT.' (OCT. 1997-SEPT. 30. 2003) I lost a WONDERFUL friend of mine just the other day.... Her Green eyes were 'BRIGHT with MISCHIEF, & Oh, HOW SHE LOVED TO PLAY Had anyone ever warned me I'd have to see her 'GO AWAY,' MY ANSWER TO THEM WOULD HAVE BEEN; 'Not WILLOW!' NOT A CHANCE,~~ NO WAY!' I was cruising thru a catshow just short of 6yrs ago.... And while looking at the Many breeds I walked up her Breeder's Row. There huddled in a tiny cage with eyes so scared yet bright, I summoned up my Courage & said THIS JUST IS NOT RIGHT! No matter what it costs me THAT CAGE HAS GOT TO GO. To my surprise there was a sign saying: WILD BREEDING STOCK FOR SALE, And in my hurried anger, I stopped & heard 'WILLOW's' desperate wail, When my eyes met hers I KNEW it was a 'KARMIC THING,' Yet I wondered how I'd MANAGE to Convince my HUBBY of WILLOW's Sad little tale, But my 'MAVERICK Mind" was convinced this Breeder was about to make a sale..... The following morning the Breeder I did call, I asked her to come & visit, to see the 'kit' once more is all. She heartly agreed to have me come & see THEM ALL..... In cages stacked to the CEILING all against ONE WALL! The Sweet pastel torti at 7mos. of age, had a price tag on her that would equal ONE WEEK's WAGE!! But the thought of her being raised like that just put me in a RAGE! So I pulled out all my money & Said: 'LET ME GET MY CAT OUTTA THAT CAGE!!' The Breeder had a 'STRICKEN LOOK,' and proceeded to say: 'The young cat in there has never been handled, she is WILD & in the Cage she MUST STAY..... FOR nobody in THIS household IS GETTING SCRATCHED TODAY, The cat is for BREEDING ONLY, & she MUST STAY THIS WAY.' 'WILLOW' was huddled in fright at the back of a 3'x3' cage, And I wanted to SCREAM at everyone that she was a PRISONER at ONLY 7mos. of age! In discust I looked at the Breeder, & said 'that will change REAL SOON,' Then to WILLOW I spoke quietly, crawled in the cage, picked her up, & got her OUTTA THAT HORRID ROOM! It seems NOBODY in the family had EVER HANDLED this sweet little cat, I wanted to 'GO BALISTIC,' but I hadda consider WHERE I was at! So I put her in the carrier, & paid my bill to someone I'd Love to SLAP..... And walked out to my car, headed home with YET ANOTHER CAT! I had NO IDEA what awaited me, I owned 5 more at that! YET I had not a DOUBT in my mind that WE'd all Learn to LOVE THIS CAT!! Such a FUNNY, DARLIN' "CUDDY" I had yet to meet.... She followed me from room to room with 'wings upon sweet feet.' And EVERY ANIMAL THAT I OWNED she walked up to & did meet. I was SO THRILLED with everything! She was a 'DARLING SOUL,' so NEAT, She only had ONE MORE person that she whould have to Greet! Thank Goodness that the Hubby is an animal lover through & through, He took one look at the wedge faced head with eyes that shined so bright, & said, 'Well Hon, it is plain to see that WE HAVE SOMEONE NEW TONIGHT! Willow's eyes were a Brilliant EMERALD GREEN while we were used to "SIAMESE" blue.... But all our SIAMESE agreed with us, they seemed to love this SWEET SOUL TOO! The years have passed SO SWIFTLY, & WILLOW was NEVER SICK.... It NEVER occured to me in ANY WAY that some day she'd get something that NEITHER OF US could Lick!' It was JUST Sept. 28th, last Sunday that 'OUR SWEETHEART' showed signs of being sick, Inspite of anything we did, not even a drop of water would she lick... Monday morning my Hub took her to the Vet for much bloodwork, as I was having a Fit. And as I sat beside the frail frame, I REALIZED my Dear Friend was WAY more than JUST SICK! I sat up with her all Monday night as she starred vacantly into space, I became EXTREMELY FRANTIC, as I COULD NO LONGER SEE the 'WILLOW' in her Face.... The Vet called me around Lunchtime with words I knew & Dreaded to hear, He said Gloria, she has LYMPHNODE LEUKEMIA, & it has hit her FAST & IN HIGH GEAR, And I knew at that VERY MOMENT that I had to acknowledge my GREATEST FEAR. There was NO HOPE for WILLOW, her DIAGNOSIS was SURE DEATH... And NO MATTER WHAT ANYONE DID, she struggled to take each Breath! The illness was a SAVAGE KILLER that kills so very quick! And I had already speant the evening watching 'SWEET WILLOW' become SO SICK. WILLOW had given to me a life of FUN & GAMES, Now it was my turn to Steal my heart, for there was something to be arranged. Having been a Vet tech I KNEW she was suffering SO, And WILLOW had GIVEN SO MUCH LOVE TO ME that I HAD to 'Let her Go.' She passed to the RAINBOW BRIDGE in the arms of 'HER PERSON' who loved her best.... And tho I had never thought it could happen, I had just 'passed this test.' I could not let her suffer, when SO MUCH LOVE TO ME SHE GAVE, So I held her tightly in my arms & STRUGGLED to be Brave. For this darling little Angel DID NOT DESERVE THIS PAIN, And regardless of my own suffering, I carefully wrapped her delicate body up & walked out into the Rain. I don't think I have to tell you, How this has made me feel, For anyone who lives FOR ANIMALS knows that with this they will all someday deal. I thank the LORD for giving me this time WITH AN OUTSTANDING LITTLE SOUL, But NOBODY cheats the GRIM REAPER so I must accept what is now SO REAL. But WILLOW has not REALLY 'Left Me,' She is just in another room... With a door that is SO INVISIBLE I cannot FIND it in all the GLOOM. In MY HEART is where she will stay until we again shall meet. I would Not have missed a MOMENT OF IT, for I can still hear the padding of her soft feet....... Gloria Ford wolfe54@aol.com