8/02/2005

Goodbye to Kitty


Once we had a kitty named Clem, whom we loved.

[ Figure 1 ]


We would pet him.

[ Figure 2 ]


And he would bite our fingers.

[ Figure 3 ]


We remember how you and Clem used to play in the garden by the schoolhouse, chasing pebbles or watching grasshoppers or just lying in the sun.

[ Figure 4 ]


One morning Papa found Clem sleeping with his eyes open.
Clem didn't move, even when Papa pet him.
Papa knew that Clem had died.

[ Figure 5 ]


When you woke up, Mama and Papa brought you to see Clem, so you could say "Goodbye."

[ Figure 6 ]


Then we dug a hole in the ground, and put Clem inside. We covered him up with dirt, and while we did it we cried. Everybody wished that Clem was not dead, because we loved him so much.

[ Figure 7 ]


Clem was a kind of pretend baby for us, before you came along. He was a very silly kitten!

[ Figure 8 ]


When you were just a little baby, Clem would sleep with you in your crib. You loved Clem, too. He was your friend.

[ Figure 9 ]


Now that Clem is dead, he will never wake up. His body will lie beneath the ground, and bugs will eat it.

[ Figure 10 ]


Birds will eat the bugs, early in the dewy morning.

[ Figure 11 ]


And so little bits of Clem will fly away with them inside their bellies, high in the sky.

[ Figure 12 ]


Goodbye, Clem! We will always remember you.

[ Figure 13 ]

15 comments:

Cheeseburger Brown said...

Dear all,

If you enjoyed this story, it can be purchased as a printed storybook through Lulu.

http://www.lulu.com/content/144833

Love,

CheeseburgerBrown

Anonymous said...

OK, am a big pansey & just cried. COuld be cause I love cats alot, could be cause I'm a pansey.

I will be ordering this book for our Neice Lilly soon, I promise. Payday is just around the corner.

I like the simplicity of the story, it is perfect for a kid to understand and pretty too.

Anonymous said...

I am sorry for your loss.

Very touching story.

Anonymous said...

Great drawings and story.
Sorry about your cat.

Anonymous said...

Dear CBB,

That was beautiful and moving. I am sorry for your loss.

Tom

NOLAPete said...

Beautiful story and drawings. Sorry for your loss. It's always so hard to lose a loved one whether it be beast or human. Always a fan. Pete

NOLAPete said...

You should have this and 17 Drawings made into frameable prints. I'd buy both (already have 17 Drawings in book form). You could do this with other drawings you've done as well. Your fans, myself included, would surely like to have them.

Anonymous said...

eep! I love (and hate) sad stories like this. nice writing Cheeseburgerbrown

Maurice Mitchell said...

I lost a very dear cat friend a few years ago and this brought back memories. Nice story, but it could be a downer for children.

Cheeseburger Brown said...

Dear Mauricem,

I respectfully submit that if you're telling a story about death that isn't a bit a downer, you've omitted something critical about the experience.

I myself would consider any such story -- especially one for kids -- to be highly suspect.

Love,

CheeseburgerBrown

Erica said...

I ordered this book and got it over the weekend. The artwork is great, but the unfolding of the story is the true gem. I like its gentle sense of humor - you have to laugh to get through things sometimes. Well done, CB!

Anonymous said...

I grieve with you for your loss. I'm sure Clem was a beloved member of the family. What a lovely story to remember his life, and his passing. I'm so glad you let your little one say goodbye!

Anonymous said...

Loved your story, man. So sorry about your cat.

Strangely enough, reading through the story and looking at the pictures choked me up, thinking about when the family dog decides to up and die, and trying to explain it to my little girls

Love your work!

Unknown said...

:( good bye, kitty.

I have two cats who like to wrestle. [/slightly random comment]

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful invention it is, this thing we call the Internet!