01 October, 2006
Simon Sunday: One Last Offering
One Last Offering
Originally uploaded by Planet Vicster.
You may recall that last week we had a bit of an upset because the property management at our apartments mentioned that our wonderful tree in the back yard might be taken out. (I had been misinformed that it was a Chinese Elm; it is was, in fact, Liquid Amber.) A week ago, the tree had been given a reprieve.
It didn't last long.
When I came home Wednesday evening, there was a notice that the tree was to be removed on Thursday (evidently, the landscapers couldn't conjure up a way of installing these pathways around the root structure). So, just like that, with almost NO warning, our magnificient tree was gone. I've never fancied myself a real "tree hugger", but this old girl was special. She was our Splendid Goddess who watched over my apartment so that I always felt Simon and Billie were safe. She guarded our privacy and filtered the harsh summer sunlight, keeping our home comfortable when most of the other apartments were ovens.
Most importantly, she entertained Simon and sent him gifts (that he would, in turn, present to me). With a slight rustle of her leaves, she would quietly beckon him to come and watch; the leaves were now ready to "dance" for him. And he would watch, quietly, for hours. Once in a while, I'd hear a bit of commotion with the window screen and realize that one of the leaves had dropped through it and Simon was scrambling to retrieve it. But mostly he gazed peacefully up at the Splendid Goddess, watching and listening. Sometimes, after I raised the window blinds, he'd just sit in the window, without any prompting from the tree. He'd sit and wait, patiently, for the next show to start. Some mornings, before I'd leave for work, I'd make a plea to the tree on his behalf: "Good morning tree!" I'd say. "Simon is here waiting for your beautiful leaves to dance for him. He's been a very good kitty, so if they would dance for him today, he would really appreciate it!"
Simon took his last look at our Splendid Goddess just before I left for work on Thursday.
I closed the windows and shut the blinds shortly after I took this photo. It was bad enough he and Billie would have to hear the execution; I sure as hell wasn't going to make them an eyewitness to it. I came home from work Thursday evening to our new "view":
I had a heck of a time getting Billie to stay in the bedroom to eat her supper Thursday evening. I suppose it was because it is now so much brighter in there that she must have thought it was too early for her supper. Four days on, Simon still keeps looking for the tree. He strains his eyes looking toward the other end of the yard or he'll put his nose against the screen, trying to smell her to see where she's hiding. He'll then look over at me as if to say, "Where did you put her, mom?"
Of course, we all will adjust to this. After all, the kitchen now has so much natural light that it will be that much easier to work on my paintings, and I was able to relocate the mini gerbera daisy plant to the kitchen where it can get more light and not be preyed upon by Simon's curious cravings. But we all miss our Splendid Goddess. No amount of landscaping can make up for the beauty and security she brought to our lives so, right now, it all just sucks.
Labels: cats, furkids, Simon, Simon Sunday
~~ victoria on 4:45 PM ~~ 0 comments
========================================
