pets

I've always thought that Dexter is a rather special little dog, and he's got me thinking about the other companion I've had as an adult, Charlie - the great big ginger tom cat.

Everyone who met him loved him.  And everyone said he was more human than feline.

I still remember the day I went to pick him up.  I went to a friend's house (her cat had had kittens and I'd already chosen Charlie as the "one") to collect him.  All the kittens were laying in their bed next to mum apart from Charlie.  He was walking across the curtain pole having climbed the curtains to get there!  I knew there and then he was "different"!

Some of the things he did amazed me.  For instance, he and I would lounge on the sofa watching TV.  He would adopt the same "typical male" posture as me - laid back, arm (well, leg in his case) propped up on the sofa and legs gaping wide open totally relaxed.

Or the time Corinne and John came to visit, and John sat in Charlie's spot on the sofa.  Charlie spent the whole two hours they were there ignoring everyone, his back to us and with his his nose pressed against the wall.  As soon as John left, he just calmly turned around and jumped back up into his space.

Or the time he chased away the local gangster's pit bull who had dared to wonder onto our driveway, forcing it to turn and run crying with my cat in hot pursuit.

Or the time he fought off a grizzly feral intruder who had been bullying the other cats on our street, leaving my neighbour who had witnessed it amazed, and the other cats licking Charlie after the bout, almost thanking him for driving the wild cat away, never to be seen again.

Or the times when I used to walk to the local pub, and he would walk with me as far as the dark, lonely subway under the motorway, see me safely through and then wait patiently until I walked home when he would appear by my side to walk through the subway and back home again.

I could go on - there are many more stories.

And I sometimes feel that Dexter is somehow a re-incarnation of Charlie.  He shares so many of his traits and expressions it's uncanny.

I'll never forget the day when I came home from my first long stay in hospital.  Dexter was still very much a young, excitable puppy prone to leaping all over visitors and me in particular.  As soon as I got through the door, it was almost as if he knew he had to be gentle and calm, and instead of jumping up and licking me, he just waited until I got into bed before clambering up alongside me, squeezing himself as tight to me as he could and not leaving my side for hours.

Now, I know everyone thinks their pet is special (and they're 100% right) but ask anyone about Charlie and they'll all have a tale to tell.

His death left a massive hole in our lives, and those of the many people who he used to visit and spend time with during his days roaming around our street.

Our old neighbour Margaret particularly loved him.  Even though one day he sneaked into her kitchen and stole the chicken she'd been roasting for her Sunday lunch.

I know that If we could somehow have Charlie and Dexter together at the same time they'd be the very best of friends.

But there'd only be one boss.  Sorry Dexter!