Palmer and FMom

Years ago while I was away, my brother bought home to my Mom a small cat. My brother said he had picked it up at a service station. He said the man he got it from was going to kill it if no one took it and my brother said he could tell the cat had been abused.

My brother told the man he would take it, but since he was a truck driver he couldn’t keep it. So my brother loads it into his truck and brings it to FMom. This was during the period when FMom was working and all of us children were out of the house and in our own places. At first FMom refused to take the cat because she was gone all day and there would be no one to take care of it. My brother is pretty persuasive though and FMom relented. She named the cat Palmer.

Because Palmer had been so abused he trusted no one and he was like hairball lighting if you came near him. FMom told me when she came home from work; she would have a broom ready for entering the front door. Palmer upon seeing anyone would be in the attack mode and FMom said a few times she barely got through the living room. Time passed and after a few months Palmer saw that FMom would never hurt him, and he starts to warm up not only to her, but to all of us.

Palmer had already been around for awhile when I came home for a visit. I always knew Palmer as the most laid back cat I had ever seen. During this visit I bought my two daughters. They were very young at the time and they loved playing with dolls. They took an instant liking to Palmer and being as laid back as he was, he would let them dress him in doll clothes. I really wish I had a camera then, but I can remember the girls dressing Palmer up and putting him in a baby carriage. They would stroll up and down the street in front of the house with palmer lying on his back staring out. During the strolls, I always thought Palmer had a look on his face that said, “I can’t believe they’re doing this to me.” But being Palmer he was good-natured.

Palmer was good-natured with us, but he mostly definitely loved FMom and she loved him. Palmer finally died some years back of old age. Except for his early life, he had a good life. He was lucky enough to have found someone who loved him and he loved back. I don’t know about every living organism, but I think that’s what’s the most important thing for all. Love, understanding and acceptance is a need we all have.

Palmer was lucky to have been bought to FMom, she was lucky to have Palmer in her life and I think we were all lucky to know some hairball lighting that showed us that kindness and love can change everything.