by Terri Cabral
Chapter 17: Thisbe’s Greatest Adventure
Another winter holiday season approached. Shortly after Thanksgiving, Ana and Ian put up a tree in our living room. It was filled with lights and pretty shiny balls. It didn’t smell like a tree. I heard Ana tell Ian that they should put up a fake tree in this small room. I looked at the finished tree.
There’s the old white ball with the floppy ears that looks like a dog. I chewed the eye off of it that first year. Ana drew one in its place. There’s the tiny stocking from my first year and the small soft cat.
Blanca walked in, sat next to me and said, “Thisbe, look at my decorations. They are right next to yours. I like this time. The house looks so pretty with all the lights.”
“I know, Blanca, when they turn off all the big lights and leave little lights on it sort of looks like the sky at night.”
Blanca laughed, “Like all the stars.”
Ana neatly wrapped a white blanket around the bottom of the tree then carefully placed the presents under the tree. Ian went into the kitchen and returned with a bottle of red liquid and two glasses.
“A toast to the winter season and the new year - may 1998 not be as snowy!”
Ana touched his glass with hers, “Amen!”
One quiet day when Blanca was fast asleep on the sofa, Ana was at work and Ian was working in his basement office, I began to explore around the big tree. I discovered how soft the fluffy white blanket was around the bottom of the tree. I rubbed my head on it. Oh this feels wonderfully soft. I can hide in here and no one will find me. I burrowed my tiny body amid the gifts and promptly fell asleep.
Later, Blanca tried to wake me up.
“Hey Thisbe, Ana is looking for you. THISBE? Wake up!”
I was sound asleep but I heard Blanca calling for me faraway in my dream. Blanca called my name again.
“THISBE, WAKE UP. Ana is running around looking for you. Can’t you hear her calling you?
That time I woke up. Groggily, I replied, “Huh? What? Oh hi Blanca. Wow I fell asleep. It’s so comfortable in here.”
“Ana is looking for you. She went downstairs. She seems upset. Here she is.”
“THISBE! Where are you? Okay Blanca, where’s Thisbe?” Then I heard her laugh and said, “HA! You little devil! Hiding among the gifts! Well, you are a special gift to me, little one. If you want to sleep among the gifts under the tree, go right ahead.”
I thought I like my new sleeping place. It’s very peaceful and quiet but I was hoping to keep it a secret.
Satisfied that Ana approved, I used it throughout the holiday season.
As the winter months dragged on, I began to feel weaker. What is happening to me? I feel so tired all the time and my back legs hurt so much. Am I going die soon? Duchess felt like this just before she died. She was tired and her back legs hurt. Is this what it’s like to get old? I’m not that hungry anymore, either. Ana made linguica and eggs for me the other day and I just couldn’t eat it.
Blanca approached me and asked her, “Are you going to be okay? What is the matter with you?”
I smiled. “I’m old, Blanca. I’m going to be twenty years old this summer. That’s a very long time. I don’t want to die but who knows what will happen. One thing I have learned is that nothing is forever. I have lost many friends over the years. You know, I thought I saw Duchess standing here in the living room the other day. She must be watching me from the other side.”
Blanca curled up next to me and asked, “What is the other side? Where do we go when we die? Is it nice? Is Duchess there? I miss her.”
I thought about it for a while and realized I hadn’t fully explained it to Blanca or maybe I had a long time ago and she forgot. She forgets a lot of things since she was hit by that car and banged her head.
I said, “Well, yes, Duchess is there. I know we go to a better place where we don’t hurt anymore. Belinda and Arturo always seemed well and happy. You saw them at the party at our old house, remember? They always seemed very happy.”
Blanca then asked, “Will you see all your friends when you die?”
I replied, “I know I will, Blanca. Arturo always told me they were waiting for me.”
“Have you talked to Belinda or Arturo since we moved?” Blanca was very curious. She had only seen Belinda and Arturo at our old home.
“Yes. I saw Belinda when you ran out to explore our neighborhood. Belinda helped me get you home after you were hit by the car. I couldn’t have done it without her. You don’t remember seeing her, do you?”
“No I don’t remember much about that time. Thisbe, how come we can’t see animals but we can see the people?” Blanca was very confused.
“Arturo explained to me once, a very long time ago, that it takes a lot of …something called…energy to appear here once you have passed on. Animals don’t have that much energy. He said that the only time another animal sees the animals that have died is just when they are ready to die themselves.” Maybe that’s why I see Duchess once in a while. I’m getting ready to die. When I do, I won’t be able to come and visit you but I will watch over you all the time.”
Blanca sighed. “Then I will be all alone here. I’ll miss you Thisbe. Please get better and stay a while longer.”
“I will try, Blanca. I don’t want to go yet either.”
We snuggled closer and fell asleep.
Spring arrived with its bright, warm sunshine beaming through the large living room windows. Throughout the winter, Blanca watched over me to make sure I had enough food and water but I didn’t eat much. I lost more weight and as Belinda always said I was but a breath anyway so I can’t imagine what I was now. I couldn’t walk very much but still made it to my litter box when I needed to be there. Ana had moved it into the living room near my black furry rug. I seemed to rally a bit when the weather warmed up and summer arrived. I loved to lie on the black, furry rug in the sun and sleep. Ah, the sunshine feels so good on my legs and back I thought as I soaked up the heat.
I know Ana was watching me. She seemed very concerned. I was a strong willed little cat and wanted to stay around as long as my little body allowed me. I continued to sleep a lot. When I wasn’t sleeping I was curled up with Ana or Blanca enjoying their company. During the day Ian would take a break from his writing and come up to check on Blanca and me.
One day he said, “I miss all the noise up here…Blanca chasing Thisbe all over the house. How are you doing old girl?” He gently rubbed me on the head.
I am not feeling well. I wish I could tell you that.
Later that night when Ana said goodnight to us, she noticed I was having difficulty breathing and asked Ian, “Should we bring Thisbe on the bed with us tonight?”
Tears began to well up in her eyes. Ian gave her a hug and said, “I think she would be more comfortable on her little rug. We move too much in the bed and we might crush her.”
Ana sighed and said, “You’re right. Let me say good night to her.”
She carefully picked me up and held me gently in her lap. She softly stroked my head and ears. I purred. “Mmm…that feels so good. I’ve always loved that, Ana.”
Ana quietly said, “Thisbe, I know you are just hanging on to be around here but it’s okay to go. Know that I love you. I will miss you with all my heart. You are my special little kitty. We have spent many years together.”
We sat on the sofa until Ana began to nod off to sleep. I stayed awake because I could feel it was the last time we were going sit together and I wanted to enjoy every minute. Ana got up, kissed me goodnight and carefully placed me on my favorite black rug.
The next morning I woke as the mid-summer sun was just peeking over the house next door. I could barely move. Oh my legs are so stiff. I can’t even get up. Oh…it… is…so hard…to breathe. I can’t feel my legs anymore. Oh, it is…so hard…to breathe…but I have to… stay here… just until Ana…wakes up. I have…to see her one…more…time. I know I am going to… the other side. I have lived twenty years. What
a full life it was! I remember all those years and all my friends. I know I am going to see them soon. I heard Ana stirring in the bedroom. As Ana walked out into the living room, she immediately ran over to me with Blanca at her heels. She carefully picked me up and held me in her arms.
She called out, “IAN! Please come in here. I think Thisbe is dying. What am I to do? Should I call the vets? What?” She was crying and holding me close to her heart.
I looked up into her face and smiled. I love you Ana. I want to tell you that everything is okay. I glanced up and noticed all my friends standing in the living room. Oh my! Look…there is Belinda and Arturo. On Arturo’s shoulder I can see Chipper, flapping her wings as if to say hello. Hello Chipper! Chance is flying above. Oh there’s Duchess at Belinda’s feet and she’s wagging her tail. Mama, my sisters and Muffin! There’s a grey cat next to Mama. That must be Papa. There’s Butch AND Duke! Hello everyone! You are there waiting for me! Oh! There is my beloved Thomas. Yes, I see you, love. I’m coming soon. I know I’m going to be fine. I’ll miss Ana but I’ll have all my old friends and family around me again.
Ana held me close to her heart. She knew it was my time to go so she whispered in my ear, “Go, my love, you’ve had a wonderful life. I will miss you so very, very much but you will live forever in my heart.”
I looked one more time at Ana, then down to Blanca and said weakly, “Good bye, Blanca, my friend, my sister, take care of Ana and Ian. I will see you someday.”
Blanca placed her front paws on Ana’s lap and said, “Thisbe, do you see your animal friends? Do you see Duchess?”
“Yes…Blanca...I do...it is …time for me...to go to them…I will watch over you. I’ll be fine, Blanca. Have fun with Ian and Ana, may you live many years with them.”
Blanca whispered with tears in her eyes, “Good bye, Thisbe, I love you too. I’ll miss you so much.”
I looked up at Ana and smiled. I love you, Ana. Thank you for a wonderful life. I then looked over to Thomas, Mama, Papa, Muffin, Chipper, Duchess, Arturo and Belinda and said, “Hello, everyone, I’m coming to join you.”
I was excited. I was about to embark on my greatest adventure yet!
EPILOGUE:
A note to the reader: I, Thisbe, watched over my dear sister, Blanca for many years after I left.
Blanca lived to be fifteen years old against all odds. She survived her mysterious life as a kitten of which she had no recollection. She survived the accident with the car and two years later was diagnosed with diabetes. I was listening in at the vet’s. The doctor gave Ana two choices. One was that Blanca should be “put down” immediately saving Ana all the problems and expense of a diabetic cat or let her live for another year or so with the diabetes. The doctor said Blanca would be ill and life would be difficult and she wouldn’t last more than a year or so. Blanca looked Ana and said, “I’m fine and I will be okay with you taking care of me.” Ana hugged Blanca and told her, “You are my baby now and we’ll let you live a wonderful life until you tell me it’s time to go.”
I watched Blanca carefully. She never ran away again. She still loved to jump off the basement stairs into the hamper of soiled laundry and sleep. Ian continued to call her “Little Smelly”. Blanca laughed and called him “Big Smelly”. She experienced another home move and was not happy with the long car ride. Blanca had become like me – very dissatisfied with long car rides. She did like the new house. She was exploring the garage when she ran up the attic stairs and became trapped in the soft, thick insulation. Ana and Ian searched high and low for her and finally heard her tiny voice. Ian had to careful make a walkway for Blanca out of boxes in order for her to escape the corner. She didn’t want to come down the steep stairs so Ana had to rescue poor Blanca. She never climbed up the ladder again.
She did have a great adventure travelling to Florida with Ana and Ian. She actually stayed in a hotel room with them. She slept for the car ride so it never bothered her. The trip was very exciting for her. She told me when she got to this side. I have heard some human’s refer to this as over the Rainbow Bridge.
Blanca became very ill during her fifteenth year and finally left the world in the arms of Ian and Ana. They held her close and whispered how much they loved her. She is here with me now romping through the ether with old Mooch, her buddy from our old home.
Ana is a very sensitive person and through Belinda and myself I was able to give her my whole life story. I hope you have enjoyed it.
“Remember: Love your animals in your home, respect all animals and listen to the whispers you may hear – you might just hear a great story.”…Thisbe
About the author:
TERRI CABRAL was born in New Bedford, MA, lived and travelled from New England to Michigan and around Europe. She currently resides in North Myrtle Beach, SC with her husband Sean Poole. For over 40 years she has been an entertainer, dancer and singer performing throughout the USA. She has written and directed scripts for theatre groups she has been involved with over the years.
In 1989 she received the Michigan Governors Award for her participation in the show she co-wrote and directed titled “Hans Brinker , or The Silver Skates”. It was performed in the Holland, MI area for 4 years as part of their Christmas Holiday Celebration.
In 1994 while visiting the local Renaissance Festival she met Sean Poole. He discovered the life work of Cuban Vanguardia Painter Antonio Gattorno in the cottage Cabral inhabited. Following a decade of obsessive, passionate and painstaking research, during which time they collected rejection notices from every fine art publishing house in the business, Poole and Gattorno’s niece, Terri Cabral, published "Gattorno A Cuban Painter For The World” in 2004. In 2008 the London Book Festival recognized the merit of the work by awarding First Place in their Fine Art Genre. In 2009 the book received the Eric Hoffer Award for Excellence in Independent Publishing.
She is also working on a children’s series titled “The Adventures of Pirate Penelope” and a novel titled “Isabel’s Journey” loosely based on the exciting life of her Aunt Isabel Gattorno – a woman ahead of her time.
