There Will Never Be Another Simon
Spotting an orange longhaired tabby cat made Dean remember. Yes, even the Winchesters had a pet once. Seeing that cat took him back…
Eight-year-old Sam had found the cat, dirty and starving, and had brought it home with pleading eyes.
"Please Dad, can't we keep it?"
Dean had been sure that John would say no, but to his surprise he had said yes, as long as he wasn't the one who had to take care of it, and as long as the animal didn't get in the way. Maybe it was Sammy's puppy dog eyes when he'd asked, or the way his eyes had lit up after getting permission, but Dean didn't think his father had regretted his decision.
Sam had named the cat Simon. Why he'd named him that Dean didn't know, and didn't bother to ask. Sam had cleaned him up, fed him so he got filled out again, and played with him. Simon had greatly enjoyed playing with string, pouncing around the corner at Sam, and other silly games, but Dean was glad that Simon made his little brother happy.
Simon had turned out to be a good car cat, and had traveled with them smoothly, even meowing when he needed to leave the car to relieve himself.
Dean wouldn't admit it, but he started loving the cat himself, and even their father tolerated him. Simon seemed to love all of them, but he was especially attached to Sam. For two blissful years things went on like this, but then one day Simon started losing weight. It wasn't long before they could feel his backbone, even though he was still eating fine, and John finally took him to the vet.
The X ray showed a large tumor that an operation wouldn't help because it was so massive. The vet said he probably had at least two months left, and he wasn't in pain, so John brought him back home, not sure how to tell his ten year old that his best little furry friend wasn't going to get better.
"But how can he be dying?" Sam had asked. "Look how happy he is." Indeed Simon was in fact sitting in his lap and purring. Dean however, could tell just by how thin Simon was getting, that he didn't look well.
Simon was eating more than usual, but also sleeping more than usual. Day by day, he gradually slept more, when one day, about two and a half months later, he didn't wake up at all.
Sam had cried inconsolably, and even Dean had shed a few tears in the bathroom in private. Sam was so upset that John had even offered to get him another cat, but Sam said no. "There will never be another Simon!" He had sobbed. Dean could almost swear that their Dad's own eyes were teary.
Dean blinked at the cat, it looked so much like Simon it was incredible. He was distracted for a moment at the sound of Sam coming out of the hotel room, and when he looked back, the cat was gone, though for a moment he thought he'd heard a soft squeak of a meow just like the sound their cat had used to make.
But no, there would never be another Simon, and there had never been another pet for the Winchesters.
The End
Written for Simon, our precious kitty who was just diagnosed with cancer. May you have as easy a passing as the Simon in the story did. You are in my prayers.
Friday May 23 2008