Imbrium's Pet Memorial

Tinker always existed, as far as I knew. She was there when I was born and was there till I was a teenager. She was some sort of Australian Shepherd-type mix, and it showed. She took to watching me. Before I was mobile, she had it fairly easy. She'd lie under my crib, growl at unwelcome people and drive them from the room - anyone not accompanied by my mother or father had no chance of seeing me in my crib. Once I became mobile, her job became more difficult, but she was up to the challenge. She set perimeters around the yard and, if I moved outside that area, she would gently place herself in front of me and prevent me from going further. When I was four, I got Waggle-Tail (Waggles) the Cat. She mothered him, as well. He used to look like a drowned rat after one of her baths, I recall.

Waggles was the first pet I picked out for myself. When I was around four years old, I was given the choice between a dog, a cat and a pony. My choice was somewhat steered by my parents, who advised that we already had a dog and that, if we moved (my father was an Air Force officer - moving was always a distinct possibility - and, indeed, we did move around a year later), I couldn't take a pony with us. So I decided on a cat! A local pet store owner's pet cat had kittens (not purebred, just a very large domestic cat). After telling my parents I wanted the kitten "only if I liked him" (as if I wouldn't have liked any kitten), I instantly fell in love with my kitten, as I think the above picture shows. Waggles was a particularily large cat, probably over 15 pounds without being overweight. More than one person asked me if he was a "normal cat" (as opposed to a super-mutant cat, I suppose). Waggles was always close to me and always respectful to his dog-mother, Tinker. He wasn't particularly respectful to Marco Polo the Dog, however, for some very good reasons.

Marco Polo the Slightly-naughty Dog, aka Markey, was the second large pet I picked out for myself. I got him when I was ten - I had the choice between a bird and a dog. I'd had two hamsters and a budgie in the years between getting Waggles and getting Markey.

Markey was indeed slightly naughty. He was somewhat high-strung and sometimes demanding. He enjoyed playing with Tinker and Waggles, both of whom didn't much enjoy the playing at all. By this time, Tinker was an old dog (she lived to over 18 years old) and really didn't like playing the wheelbarrow game (being picked up by the hind leg and herded wherever Markey wanted her to go). Waggles didn't much enjoy the poke-the-cat game. Waggles, while exceedinly tolerant of Markey as a puppy, was still able to defend himself. The game quickly evolved into the poke-the-cat-and-run-run-run-then-poke-the-cat-again game. Markey just couldn't leave well enough alone and eventually Waggles took to laying into Markey at random intervals. For a long period of time, Markey was afraid to turn his back to the cat for fear of reprisal. Markey never quite understood Waggles's position, however. After all, Markey was usually so happy to see the cat, he'd run straight towards him.....it was sheer accident that he was never able to stop before running _over_ the sunbathing cat. Markey would also tattle on Waggles whenever Waggles would try to jump the fence. I'm sure Markey would have been completely astonished to learn that Waggles didn't appreciate this consideration and attention. Markey loved attention from humans, as well. One time when he was feeling neglected, he sat on the couch in the hopes someone would tell him to get off. I decided to ignore him, so I went about my business on the other side of the couch, organizing some papers right beside him. He waited a few minutes, then glared at me and stalked off. I followed him to make it up to him, and he growled at me, then sulked for about an hour. Funny, silly dog.