By Marc
On the last day of June last year I found Red had died nearby my house in a garden next to a main road. This article is just a little memorial for him. Many of you know plenty about him and I have focused less on those things and more on the very beginning and the very end of his life with me. I have talked plenty – if not too much – about the middle. I specifically asked Michael to just put the pictures in sequence and although I have made the pics relatively small it may take a while to load up the 24 pictures so you might need to give it a moment. It’s just how I wanted it and Michael has been very accommodating. I’m doing a ‘commentathon’ today which I will talk about in the paragraph at the end after the photos. They are in a specific order. Michael has simply done exactly what I asked. Thank you Michael, from the bottom of my heart – really.
So there it is – a little bit about the beginning and the end of Red to remember him – he will never end in some other sense but that was some of his short life on this planet. There will be other articles today – this is just the first.
For all the comments made on any article today including this one I am going to donate $5 to PoC.
I always read PoC everyday but I never made much in the way of comments until about 5 weeks after Red died when I was forced out of my deep depression by having to fly off to England for work reasons. I had just spent the last weeks with Lilly being very sad and unable to eat or do much of anything really, least of all talk to people. It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever been through. I had no idea, and now I do. Red was like a son to me. I don’t know why – I mean for many reasons he was – and it just turned out this way that I had to lose him. He was the happiest cat that ever lived save a couple days when he moved to our new place and had to be locked in for a short period. I’m proud of the fact that I was able to make his life so great. He got whatever he wanted and he was healthy and always busy and always purring, even whilst he was eating. Purring and eating made him sound a bit like a gremlin!
He loved Lilly so much and she loved him equally. He even welcomed the new 2 kittens with such grace and ease I was so proud of what a great boy he had grown into. Truly a beautiful thing in my life.
The point of the commentathon is simple. Ever since I started commenting and talking about Red everybody here has been so kind to me and it has helped me to no end and it still does, even right now with what I am doing here today. It would be so hard to deal with all this alone. I am doing it to say thank you to you all and to Michael especially for letting me be me and express myself on PoC everyday. The idea is that he will take the money and know best how to donate it to charity. It’s from all of us and it is in memory of Red.
The only condition will be that Michael keep at least a bit of it for him and Charlie. I already am guessing he will insist on donating it all so I’m not telling him that he has to at least keep enough to go out and buy Charlie some roast chicken. That’s the minimum he’s allowed to keep. Michael if you are planning a catio or something in your new house please use the money for it if you want. It’s totally in your hands. You are just not allowed to give every last penny to charity without keeping at least something for you. Those are the rules 🙂
I am around today most of the day and will disappear later to go and spend the evening at Red’s grave planting some new flowers. I always buy orange and red flowers because he was so beautifully orange – a beautiful orange tabby. Comment away, there’s no cutoff – and we will tally it all up tomorrow or later.
THANK YOU all for being such great listeners and friends and for helping me get over this and not feel alone. You guys are the best.
Thank you for sharing such a touching Memorial to your Red with us Marc. I think this Memorial amazing. Luckily for Marc and Red, they had eachother in their lifes. Those moments will live in Marc’s heart forever. Those beautiful moments are yours Marc, all yours.
I met Marc only a few days a go, but I don’t know why seems that I know him since ever and he makes me believe even more in pure hearts, in pure feelings, in kindness and this Memorial proves me that.
I will donate to PoC in Red memory.
P.s- You have made me cry a few times in these last days Marc.. Includind today..
Hi Susana. Marc is a special person with a very tender heart. Red was a special cat with a big place in Marc’s heart. It is an amazing page in memory of Red. A towering memorial to him. To me it is very tragic but I don’t want to dwell on that.
Thanks for commenting. Any future comment you make will be published immediately.
im finding it hard to find the right words to say, i know the passing of Cassy was hard, it would of been so traumatic to find red like that. Its so good to know there are men out there that are big cat lovers. I loved the story and seeing the pics of when he was really little. Its great you have this special memory it certainly helps the grieving process. i know we will all meet our beloved animals in rainbow land. Wish i had known about this group earlier. just so sorry its horrible to lose a beloved pet like this. hugs
Hi Kylee. the relationship between Red and Marc was very special. Mar’s memorial to Red is also very special. This is one of those special pages on the website that I will always remember.
By the way, I am pleased that you now have your new avatar. Well done.
me too its made me cry alot. Great to be able to see pictures of red and the storys behind it. i truely believe cats spirits live on around us. i certainly know that my own animals cassy memory lives on.
I just found this page and I think it is true testament to your love of Red and all cats Marc. Red was beautiful and I believe he was your true soul mate. I hope that the happy memories of your brief life together flourish in your heart forever
Jane xx
Yes, Marc’s love comes through clear and loud.
Dear Marc~ It never gets easier to lose our animal children. I know others have said the same I will say: Love is EVERYTHING. My eyes are blurry with tears as I write this, and know I completely understand and sympathize with your pain.
My babies mean the world to me, and the only way I have dealt with losing the ones I have is remembering that one day, we will all be reunited.
and with love~
>^,,^<
Thanks alot Kat – I didn’t see your comment until today. I agree with everything you say. I guess I will always miss him – and feel this emptiness without him.
Ok everybody – time is up now – gonna start counting 🙂
wow – 71 comments on this page alone 🙂
At 08:10 morning on Monday 1st July there were 13,435 comments. On my calculation (I need your confirmation of that) that makes 175 comments from Sat morning to Mon morning = $875! 🙂 at $5 per comment. We can discuss that. I don’t think you should donate that because the first plan was for one day. You could more or less halve that figure for comments for one day rather than the weekend.
We have to add the amount from PoC under the 5 cent scheme which started 19th June. That was 626 comments making $31.
Over to you for your figures. I am open to adjustment – don’t worry.
Sounds great Michael – it’s what I hoped for. Let’s round it up to 900 and call it a day 🙂
I just need you to email me your paypal email ID – I assume you want it in GBP. I’ll make the conversion and send you the money.
I hope that count starts from early on saturday and not from when you posted my story (?)
Yes, the count does start from first thing Saturday. You are being extraordinarily generous. Can I do a short follow up post on this to get some feedback on from the others on the short of charity they prefer?
Yes – great idea – and I sent you a photo in an email for the page. I’ll send you a caption now – if you are ok with that.