Tributes

September 2008 - December 2023

Marple

Light a Candle for Marple

About Marple

British Shorthair

Dallas, TX

Roast beef

A particular armchair

She knew her name and 'dinner', and she came for both at her own unhurried pace, as a favour to me.

Any tricks or words they knew?

-----

Change of any kind, closed curtains, and guests who tried too hard.

Was there anything they really disliked?

-----

Dawn inspection of the garden through the window, breakfast, the armchair until noon, a brief patrol, and then the armchair again until bed.

Did you have a little ritual together?

-----

She did not rush. She lifted her head, considered me, and then blinked slowly, which I came to understand was the highest honour she offered.

How did they greet you when you came home?

-----

The green armchair by the window, which became, without any discussion, entirely hers.

Where did they love to sleep or curl up?

-----

She supervised. Every task in the house was carried out under her silent, round-eyed inspection, and she made her disappointment clear.

What were their funny habits or quirks?

-----

She arrived as a rescue from a home that was downsizing, with a reputation for being 'standoffish'. She sat on my lap within the hour. The previous owners were, I think, simply not her sort.

How they came into your life?

You chose me when you did not have to. Fifteen years of slow blinks, and I understood every one.

A message you'd like to say to them

-----

Make a coffee, sit near her chair, and let her blink at me across the room for as long as she liked.

If they were here right now, what would you do?

-----

A warm afternoon in the armchair, sun on her grey fur, blinking slowly at me across the room.

What was your last happy moment together?

-----

Steam rising off a coffee, and a particular square of afternoon light on a green chair.

What reminds you of them? (song, place, object...)

-----

She knocked a single pen off the desk, watched it fall with great satisfaction, and then looked at me as if to ask why I had left it somewhere so precarious.

The funniest thing they ever did?

-----

The week after my divorce, she slept on my chest every single night, something she had never done before and never did again once I was alright.

A memory you'll never forget?

A saucer with the last of the morning milk, set down at precisely eight, which she waited for on the third stair.

Did you have a little ritual together?

-----

She travelled exactly once, to a cottage in the Cotswolds, hated every second of the journey, and then sat in the cottage window as though she owned it.

What adventures or trips did you share?

-----

On the worst evenings she abandoned the armchair and sat on my chest, which she never otherwise did, and purred like a small engine until I slept.

How did they comfort you on a hard day?

-----

Nobody, officially. She tolerated the household goldfish and watched it for hours, which was, for her, a close friendship.

Did they have a best friend, animal or human?

-----

Me, though she expressed it chiefly through proximity and the occasional slow blink, never anything undignified.

Who was their favourite person?

A saucer with the last of the morning milk, set down at precisely eight, which she waited for on the third stair.

Did you have a little ritual together?

-----

She travelled exactly once, to a cottage in the Cotswolds, hated every second of the journey, and then sat in the cottage window as though she owned it.

What adventures or trips did you share?

-----

On the worst evenings she abandoned the armchair and sat on my chest, which she never otherwise did, and purred like a small engine until I slept.

How did they comfort you on a hard day?

-----

Nobody, officially. She tolerated the household goldfish and watched it for hours, which was, for her, a close friendship.

Did they have a best friend, animal or human?

-----

Me, though she expressed it chiefly through proximity and the occasional slow blink, never anything undignified.

Who was their favourite person?

She knew her name and 'dinner', and she came for both at her own unhurried pace, as a favour to me.

Any tricks or words they knew?

-----

Change of any kind, closed curtains, and guests who tried too hard.

Was there anything they really disliked?

-----

Dawn inspection of the garden through the window, breakfast, the armchair until noon, a brief patrol, and then the armchair again until bed.

Did they have a daily routine?

-----

She did not rush. She lifted her head, considered me, and then blinked slowly, which I came to understand was the highest honour she offered.

How did they greet you when you came home?

-----

The green armchair by the window, which became, without any discussion, entirely hers.

Where did they love to sleep or curl up?

-----

She supervised. Every task in the house was carried out under her silent, round-eyed inspection, and she made her disappointment clear.

What were their funny habits or quirks?

-----

She arrived as a rescue from a home that was downsizing, with a reputation for being 'standoffish'. She sat on my lap within the hour. The previous owners were, I think, simply not her sort.

How they came into your life?

You chose me when you did not have to. Fifteen years of slow blinks, and I understood every one.

A message you'd like to say to them

-----

Make a coffee, sit near her chair, and let her blink at me across the room for as long as she liked.

If they were here right now, what would you do?

-----

A warm afternoon in the armchair, sun on her grey fur, blinking slowly at me across the room.

What was your last happy moment together?

-----

Steam rising off a coffee, and a particular square of afternoon light on a green chair.

What reminds you of them? (song, place, object...)

-----

She knocked a single pen off the desk, watched it fall with great satisfaction, and then looked at me as if to ask why I had left it somewhere so precarious.

The funniest thing they ever did?

-----

The week after my divorce, she slept on my chest every single night, something she had never done before and never did again once I was alright.

A memory you'll never forget?

Soft

Discerning

Composed

About Marple

She knew her name and 'dinner', and she came for both at her own unhurried pace, as a favour to me.

Any tricks or words they knew?

-----

Change of any kind, closed curtains, and guests who tried too hard.

Was there anything they really disliked?

-----

Dawn inspection of the garden through the window, breakfast, the armchair until noon, a brief patrol, and then the armchair again until bed.

Did they have a daily routine?

-----

She did not rush. She lifted her head, considered me, and then blinked slowly, which I came to understand was the highest honour she offered.

How did they greet you when you came home?

-----

The green armchair by the window, which became, without any discussion, entirely hers.

Where did they love to sleep or curl up?

-----

She supervised. Every task in the house was carried out under her silent, round-eyed inspection, and she made her disappointment clear.

What were their funny habits or quirks?

-----

She arrived as a rescue from a home that was downsizing, with a reputation for being 'standoffish'. She sat on my lap within the hour. The previous owners were, I think, simply not her sort.

How they came into your life?

You chose me when you did not have to. Fifteen years of slow blinks, and I understood every one.

A message you'd like to say to them

-----

Make a coffee, sit near her chair, and let her blink at me across the room for as long as she liked.

If they were here right now, what would you do?

-----

A warm afternoon in the armchair, sun on her grey fur, blinking slowly at me across the room.

What was your last happy moment together?

-----

Steam rising off a coffee, and a particular square of afternoon light on a green chair.

What reminds you of them? (song, place, object...)

-----

She knocked a single pen off the desk, watched it fall with great satisfaction, and then looked at me as if to ask why I had left it somewhere so precarious.

The funniest thing they ever did?

-----

The week after my divorce, she slept on my chest every single night, something she had never done before and never did again once I was alright.

A memory you'll never forget?

A saucer with the last of the morning milk, set down at precisely eight, which she waited for on the third stair.

Did you have a little ritual together?

-----

She travelled exactly once, to a cottage in the Cotswolds, hated every second of the journey, and then sat in the cottage window as though she owned it.

What adventures or trips did you share?

-----

The green armchair by the window, which became, without any discussion, entirely hers.

How did they comfort you on a hard day?

-----

Nobody, officially. She tolerated the household goldfish and watched it for hours, which was, for her, a close friendship.

Did they have a best friend, animal or human?

-----

Me, though she expressed it chiefly through proximity and the occasional slow blink, never anything undignified.

Who was their favourite person?