Journal of a Sabbatical

May 10, 2001

a visit with jaguar

Today's Reading: Fresh Air Fiend by Paul Theroux

Today's Starting Pitcher: Tomo Ohka

Me and Jaguar go back a long way. I mean, I knew him when he still had a partial tail - paralyzed though it was, making it hard for him to clean himself thus requiring Dawna to bathe him in the sink, which he hated. I still remember the first time Jaguar let me hold him. I once wrote an entry in which the highlight is that Jaguar purred for me. I once brought him a present from Rhode Island. A picture of Old Jag was my entire entry for New Year's Day in 1997. He's inspired some of my more sensuous (or is that sensual?) writing. He used to come to the Purrfect Companions meetings. You get the idea.

Since Jaguar went to live with Jackie I've kind of missed him around the shelter. He's older than dirt now, and has been in renal failure for two years but is still going strong. Some days, I think he's immortal. People 'round the shelter have been asking for an update on him, so after my plover warden shift today, I went to Jackie's house to spend some quality time with Jaguar. He's still recognizably Jaguar: loves the windows, stares at his water dish as if he expects it to do something, eats his wet food with gusto, loves the windows....

I shot a floppy full of photos of the old gentleman: have a look.

He just might live forever.

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