Hi everyone,
Today’s guest post comes from our regular contributor Stuart. I am afraid that this story has got a “tissue box required” warning attached! (Photos used for illustration purposes as no original photos were available, see credits in the footnote)
IMPY’S LAST ADVENTURE
When I was nine we had a cat named Impy. He was a formidable Maine Coon cat with a bushy tail trailing a sturdy, striped body. Impy lived up to his name, lording over the neighborhood like a lion and terrorizing birds and mice. Often, he stayed out all night. He must have had some tender moments at home; why else did we keep him? But all I recall of life with Impy was that my arms were crisscrossed with scratches.
One particularly cold evening, Impy ignored our calls and evaded our flashlight search. The temperatures dropped below freezing and still, he did not surrender his nocturnal patrol. The next morning, we were concerned but not quite worried. Impy, we were confident, was a sturdy and resourceful fellow.
“He’s probably curled up next to someone’s furnace vent,” said my mother.
“I bet he crawled into a squirrel’s nest,” I said.
“Yes, after he evicted the squirrels,” said my older brother, Barry.
We all laughed. The three of us agreed to walk around the house for a few minutes before breakfast to see if we could locate our mischievous pet. I went around the front of our own house while my mother and brother searched around the neighbors’. Almost immediately, I saw Impy sprawled in the front garden.
“I bet he crawled into a squirrel’s nest,” I said.
“Yes, after he evicted the squirrels,” said my older brother, Barry.
We all laughed. The three of us agreed to walk around the house for a few minutes before breakfast to see if we could locate our mischievous pet. I went around the front of our own house while my mother and brother searched around the neighbors’. Almost immediately, I saw Impy sprawled in the front garden.
“He’s sleeping!” I yelled, delighted to have been the one to find him, like the winner of a scavenger hunt. I realized almost immediately, however, that Impy’s evident stiffness indicated a condition more permanent than sleep.
My mother and brother arrived to find me staring at the frozen corpse. I recall more horror than grief. Impy presented a problem that did not have an apparent solution.
“Should we try mouth-to-mouth?” asked Barry.
“Should we try mouth-to-mouth?” asked Barry.
We looked at each other. No one moved forward. Eventually, we resolved to bury Impy where several previous pets were interred, behind the garage. It became immediately apparent, however, that the frozen ground was impossible to dig.
“I have an idea,” said Barry. “Burial at sea would be dignified.”
“Which sea did you have in mind?” asked my mother. “We are hours from the ocean.”
“We could drop him off a bridge into a river,” said Barry. “That would be almost the same thing.”
“Yes. We can wrap him in his blanket,” I suggested, thinking of a pad on which Impy sometimes slept.
“Good idea,” said my mother.
“I have an idea,” said Barry. “Burial at sea would be dignified.”
“Which sea did you have in mind?” asked my mother. “We are hours from the ocean.”
“We could drop him off a bridge into a river,” said Barry. “That would be almost the same thing.”
“Yes. We can wrap him in his blanket,” I suggested, thinking of a pad on which Impy sometimes slept.
“Good idea,” said my mother.
We gathered Impy’s body up into his blanket-cum-shroud and piled into the car. As the youngest and smallest member of this expedition, I sat in the backseat beside my pet’s stiff body. I recall feeling sad for Impy but also a sense of excitement about our mission. Life with Impy, after all, had been a mixed blessing. And there was something almost spiritual about his restless, impetuous body being at peace. Already, we were thinking about how our next pet might be better.
“It should be female,” said my mother.
“It should be female,” said my mother.
Barry added: “Perhaps a dog or cat that will curl up in your lap or in front of the fire.”
I looked down at the back of my hands and sighed: “I won’t miss getting scratched.”
We were silent as we arrived at the Fairmount Park Bridge over the Schuylkill River. Barry carried the bundle to the middle of the span as my mother and I followed a step behind. We were a self-conscious triumvirate, summoning what felt like proper solemnity to the situation.
“This feels sort of Mayan,” I observed, thinking of rituals we had just talked about in school.
“I guess,” said Barry.
“Do you want to say something?” asked my mother, looking at me.
“I can’t really think of anything,” I said.
“Well,” said Barry, taking on a grave tone. “Impy, we hope that you are in a peaceful place, um, with lots of good food, um, and plenty of mice to catch.”
I looked up to make sure he was finished.
“Amen,” I said.
“Amen,” said my mother.
“I guess,” said Barry.
“Do you want to say something?” asked my mother, looking at me.
“I can’t really think of anything,” I said.
“Well,” said Barry, taking on a grave tone. “Impy, we hope that you are in a peaceful place, um, with lots of good food, um, and plenty of mice to catch.”
I looked up to make sure he was finished.
“Amen,” I said.
“Amen,” said my mother.
With that, after looking both ways to be sure no one was watching, Barry flung the deceased into the air. We all raced to the railing to watch the anticipated splash. To our horror, we realized that the river was completely frozen. Our search for dignity ended with a thud.
We were speechless for most of the ride home.
“It will melt, eventually,” Barry finally offered.
“It will melt, eventually,” Barry finally offered.
Thank you for reading their story and don’t forget to check out their blog here and don’t forget to email us if you’d like to have your own story featured.
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Thanks,
Marc
Photo Credits: Feature Image 500px, Other 2 images from Pinterest
The story about Impy is rather a sad one but we all know Impy is an animal with his own spirit but do not have a soul like we humans, else one would’ve wished to meet him some day in the great beyond. Cheer up Barry mum and all.
Thank you <3
I guess that was someone’s attempt at humor. I’m not laughing.
Sorry that you didn’t like this one. 🙁
Poor thing. I hope people learn from this…
Yes 🙁
Please tell me this wasn’t a true story. Because if it is, it is terrible. No animal should be treated like this.
Partly fiction. To overcome the loss of this cat.
Please tell me this wasn’t a true story. Because if it is, it is terrible. No animal should be treated like this.
No none should be treated like this which is the moral of this story. 🙁
it was uncomfortable to read this. Shocking!
Apologies you didn’t enjoy this guest story. :/. Next ones will be happier! <3
I shed a tear – that people could be so unfeeling. Horrible story.
<3 it's more fiction than how it actually happened to overcome the loss of a fantastic cat.
Sorry the readership didn’t enjoy this trip into the darker side. Alas, it IS a true story, down to each letter and each conflicted emotion. Marc, you were brave to publish it. Thank you.
We will have to go for a happier one next time! 😉
Pingback: Guest Star: Impy’s Last Adventure | My Health Selections
Wow! ThT ending…..just when a few tears were about to fall. Bloody Nora! ?
<3
Reblogged this on Rattiesforeverworldpresscom.
Thanks 🙂