It's been 15 years since he went to the vet to have some tests.

It's been 15 years since that vet said "oh, he's still alive?"

It's been 15 years since the rainy day when he never came home from those tests.

Of the ten years I knew him, it was the only moment of sadness he'd ever given me.

Jamie was born April 29, 1968 to Bambi and Beau. Jamie was the image of his father and brother Markie.
Jamie also had sisters. He was a little Romeo, hiding behind the record albums and sliding out on a stack of them to impress the ladies.
He loved everything, men, women, children, puppies, ladie cats, boy cats... well, he loved everything.

People used to ask what happened to his ears. I got the shock of my life when I saw an early picture of him where his ears weren't like that, so I'd just give them the b.s. story Nan had told me once.
"There was a fire and he was trying to rescue Tony and the bed fell on his head. Flattened it."
How it really happened, I figured when I was older was an ear infection. Although the fire in the building story was true, I later found out.
Jamie and Tony were hiding under the bed and it fell on them, but they -- and the building -- were okay.

It isn't easy to find a friend as close when you're a kid... I don't think you ever can.
Jamie lived with Nan and Pa when I was born, he was six at the time and he used to climb into my crib.
Jamie and I would play together, I'd dress him, tell him everything, cry on his shoulder and all he'd ask in return was a little bit of ham off the back of my sandwich or a sip of my cereal when I was done.

He had this thing about antacid commercials. He watch as the suds in the red liquid were stirred away and then he'd get up and walk down the hall.
If I was quick enough to reach over and pet his back before he left he'd always turn around and come back for some love.
When we got our birds he would wait until they had their cover on for the night, then he'd slip under the cover and stand up, just to say hi. The birds were not amused.

When we first moved to the house, the cats all had to learn to get along. Easy for Jamie, except Tookie used to have some issues with Jamie.
Apparently he reminded her of someone that had wronged her once and Jamie got swatted in the butt every chance Tookie got.
Still, when bedtime came they all piled into the bed, Tony and Tookie on one side, and Jamie usually on top of the sleeper.

The first week we lived here, Jamie spent sitting on top of the counter, with his backside in a bowl and his arms hanging out. I'm not sure why he did this, but it made him feel safe I guess so we let him do it.

Then, when Summer came, the cats discovered OUT. Jamie enjoyed watching the neighborhood ballgame, or he would wander off to check out the local scene. Sometimes until 2 in the morning. :)

He had a ball here. I had a ball being with him.
He was sick for a little while in the beginning of 1983 and had to spend his first night away from home to have a tooth pulled. Tony didn't enjoy his buddy being away so long.
When he came back, he took a while to get back together but then he was great, hiding in the cabinet where my board games were and sliding out on a stack of them to show off.

He started sleeping on the radiator cover that Winter to keep his 16-year-old bones warm, sometimes I'd find him sleeping under my desk (directly over the boiler room), or he'd curl up on the couch with Tony. *ahem*

After 15 years, there is only one thing left to say, I suppose.

Yes, he is still alive. In my heart he will never die.
I see him every day.
I don't have to try, I just close my eyes.

-- 2/11/99