After some rough years, I wanted to have a small partner to spend time with. So I went to an adoption event at a nearby pet store. There was a little male tuxedo kitten sitting all alone. He looked up at me, and I melted. Only about 6 weeks old, he went home with me that day.
On his first day with me, I sat down to play with the little guy. He liked to play with my hair, and he also got spooked easily over absolutely nothing at all. Well, he got spooked and jumped over my head. I saw his tummy patches of white against the charcoal gray of his coat streak by, and I knew what his name was. Streak!
Streak was a real trouper. He ultimately travelled with me across country twice, travelled up and down the California coast, and moved with me to five different places over 9 years. At every place, he found himself at home. Streak taught me a lot. He was remarkably patient with me as he taught me, through trial and error, how best to treat him. He also taught me to love again. Several bad relationships had made that necessary. He was patient and kind that way, too. He knew I needed to be taught that it was possible to love again. He did that by making it easy to love him, and by loving me. We were near constant companions for 17 1/2 years. In his last summer, he was diagnosed with severe renal failure. In a relatively short amount of time, he deteriorated. Finally, that fall he let me know that it was okay to send him on his way. When he was about to be put to sleep, he touched my hand gently, as if to say, “it’s okay, Daddy.” I love you Streak. Wait for me over the Rainbow Bridge.
Ty Ty, GA
