JESSE
Jesse was was born at home in May, 1971. He was John's brother. He had long fur like his brother, but that was about all that was the same between the two of them. They had different markings and different purrsonalities.
Jesse was also a tabby, but he had rings on his sides rather than stripes. He was extremely outgoing and loving. He loved to talk and would tell us about his adventures when he came home every night. John found many of Jesse's tales inappropriate and would scold him for revealing these details to us. It was the cutest thing to see...Jesse chirping away about everything he's done and John admonishing him to pipe down.
Sadly, this is the only picture I have of him. He became a stunningly beautiful cat and I wish that I had a way to share his beauty with you. He is the chubby one in the center.
Like John, Jesse loved to lie on your chest and purr and be petted. He was so friendly. Even though my mother was his person of choice, he still gave me a great deal of attention. He and his brother were close too. Often they could be found grooming each other and sleeping next to each other.
In 1973, tragedy struck. I was going out to play and my cousin stopped me. She corralled me into her apartment and made me stay inside to play. I couldn't imagine what was going on and wondered about it all afternoon. I found out when my mother came home from work. Jesse had been hit by a car and my cousin didn't want me to be the one to find him. I'm grateful to her for that. I don't think I would have handled it very well.
We went to pick him up (my mother, my cousin, our neighbor, and I). My mother was devastated. He was her baby. I was stunned. I don't remember exactly what I felt, but I remember an emptiness. We took him home and called the police to find out what to do about the body. They said to throw him in the dumpster. That was not an option. Even though I was a young child, I was appalled at the lack of compassion that this person displayed. How could anyone even suggest doing such a thing with a beloved pet! It was illegal to bury animals within the city limits, so we took him just outside the city and buried him in an open field where he could rest with the Bluebonnets.
I'm grateful for John. I don't know how we would have made it without him. He became so much more loving after Jesse was gone. I was amazed that he was able to give two people the love and attention that they needed for another 17 years. He seemed to spent the rest of his days filling the void that Jesse's loss created in us.
I wish that we had never let Jesse outside. You'd think that I would've learned from this too, but, no, I did not. I would have to suffer the anguish of losing a cat this way one more time before I would realize that letting your pets roam is inadvisable.
John and Jesse were reunited in December of 1990. I miss and love you both. You live on in my heart...
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