And it came to pass that The Boss did come unto the Great Cat as that most Esteemed Personage didst lie upon the Plains of Elysium, partaking of the catnip growing in abundance thereupon, and The Boss did say, "Arise, my son, and depart straightaway unto the Rainbow Bridge, for verily it is time thou must meet thy sister."

And the Great Cat did respond, "Yea, how is it thus, that my sister has come to this place? For verily I did send unto Elizabeth and He Who is Named Buxees but Everyone Calls Him Louis young and tender souls, yea, even as fresh as the first buds of the lilac trees which do sprout in the cherished spring in that cold northern city."

And The Boss did respond thusly, "It is so that they are young souls, but youth is no bar upon that gate which doth lead unto The Bridge. For it is not in the destiny of the little Odessa-Dolly to live into the great age unto which Thou hast lived. For this little sister of thine, who verily was of a delicate stock, didst need to learn one of the greatest of lessons, being thus, that she was verily worthy of great love given unto her without condition; and lo, she did thuswise learn to love in abundance. The two- legged ones do not yet know why we have called her home to her reward; for verily they must so question all things!"

And it came to pass that the Great Cat did approach the gates which do open from the Bridge into the Plains of Elysium, and The Boss did command him, "Look well upon thy city which was your home, and say what Thou seest."

And the Great Cat did say, "I see my beloved earth-parents with the little one Odessa, whom they call their Doll. They give her air from a tube and do call upon You from the book of prayer. Oh, the weight they do feel, Boss! They are as Atlas under the weight of their world. The bitter waters come forth from their souls even as my sister comes forth--and behold, she does breathe free!"

And The Boss did say unto the Great Cat, "Verily doth she breathe free, my son; for even when the sickness had not overcome her, her spirit did not breathe free for a great time; for many could not love her enough and did return her to the place of the cages many times. Even the one who did first love her did forsake her as well, for his own sickness overtook him and it did rend his heart in twain to return her to the House of Sheltering. But your earth-parents did love, and taught thy sister to love back. Behold, she comes forth now. Welcome her, and take her to the place where she may rest, for I must go to the city for a time. Thy mother threatens to forget me, lo, even now she doth question in her mind if I am with her."

And it came to pass that a new young soul came forth from the Rainbow Bridge unto the gentle grass of the Plains of Elysium, and the Great Cat did welcome her with a brother's kiss upon the small black nose of little Odessa.

And the Great Cat did say, "Verily thou lookst like a doll, so delicate are thy features. Our mother could not help but love thee, nor thy father. Even now I hold my paw upon their car as they return unto thy siblings, for verily did thy father almost take this car from the road in a dangerous manner, so great is his grief."

And it came to pass that Odessa did ask of her elder brother, "Is it not so that they did send me away? For I have been sent many times away from homes where I thought dwelt love within."

And the Great Cat did respond, "Nay, dear one, they did send you here because they had such love for thee, that they would not see thee in thy struggles nor keep thee in thy pains, for they have learnt mercy, yea even when mercy is as a knife unto their hearts, for the love is of greater weight than the desire to keep thy earthly form in their midst."

And Odessa did say, "I miss them."

And the Great Cat did understand, and said unto her, "I do so also, and let them know I do think of them. I taught Stosh to play Grab the handle with our mother's bracelet, and taught Brandy to get her attention by making much noise with the bags of plastic. Do thou likewise. Look upon thy newest sister, Sabrina. Verily she does not trust yet. Let her know; she will hear thee."

And it came to pass that Odessa did look down into her earthly home and did see Sabrina asleep upon the bed, and Odessa did say unto her, "Lo, you are in safety. Our earth-parents shall never let thee come unto harm. I feel well and happy in these blessed fields. Remember how I didst join our parents in the bed many times, and what I did as they awakened? Do thou so. It is all right."

And it came to pass that Odessa and her elder brother did watch Sabrina roll upon her back and for the first time allow her human parents to pet her upon her belly, and she did bless them with The Most Glorious Sound of Purr. And Odessa did say, "I shall tell Brandy how to get into the things of our mother and make toys of the tools by which she grooms her face in the mornings. And I will visit in the dreamtime, and my dear friend Roxie shall hear my voice from time to time. But I will sit in these blessed fields with thee, my brother, for do our parents not believe that we will again be together?"

And the Great Cat Fritzie did say, "Verily they do, and many others of their kind so believe with them, for the heavens would be hell for them without us."

Thus did the young soul, Odessa-Doll, join the Great Cat, and did so with joy and freedom, for lo, there was no pain in her form, and she did breathe deeply of sweet air.

Know this truth, that there is no one Great Cat, for all cats are the Great Cat; and we whom they leave behind follow their command to love and protect with mercy, in the knowledge that we will again meet in blessed lands, and seek ever the Most Glorious Sound of Purr.

Copyright © Baha Singh
October 13, 2007