elipsis

monday, november 20, 2000

It has been more than a week since we last saw Little Charlie, a.k.a. Little Rabbit, a.k.a. Pork Boat. He was adopted from PAWS last Saturday.

And so, we have been thinking a lot about those three dots on his nose.

It is a peculiar pigmentation. When he was a muffin-faced little scuttler, we figured it was dust, something he picked up from snootling floorboards. But as his tabby mug grew into a full page of spondees, those three dots got bolded.

Writing instructors advise against the overuse of such a device. But on his face, it works.

Perhaps his sire was a dot-nosed rounder. The reason I say this is that Pork Boat's sister Snooples has the same dotting. But only one, like a decisive conclusion. The other kittens' noses match their queen's ~ the pure dusky rose of Pink Pearl erasers.

Little Rabbit's stay with us lasted three months and a handful of days. He was a joy.

It was his kindness that most gave us pause. As he grew large-boned and leonine ~ twice the size of his sisters and half-again that of his lanky brother ~ he also grew more careful. During their reckless tag-team matches, his body-slams took on an artful fakery.

Once when he made minuscule Chessie squeak like a dodo chick, he halted the roughhousing and wrapped his arms around her, licking her ear. And once when he was slisking over salmon snacks and Nosegay bounded up to grab one of the little heart-shapes, his instincts fired up and he whacked Nosegay on the face. The stunned kitten slunk off to huddle against the cardboard playhouse. Rabbit watched this and thought about what he should do. He left his pile of snacks, sidled up to his brother, and leaned against him until the hurt disappeared. When Nosegay again ambled up to the snacks, Charlie let him have his share.

We are very lucky people to have raised such a fellow.

But this is an unfinished story. The "to be continued" is on the tip of Little Charlie's nose. . .

Photo: Our last photo of Little Charlie, November 8, 2000

More about Nosegay...