Images from the life of Royce, part 2 of 2 - the color images: A birthday cake, a comfy lap, an amazing bond with a baby and more
Thursday, June 17, 2010 at 11:09PM ;)
After thinking more about it, I decided that I would drop part 2 and just let the previous black and white post stand as the total "Images from the life of Royce series." I did not want to overdo it. But I had made two promises - one, I would tell the story of how Royce once saved Jacob from getting a ticket.
I could not break such a promise, and so, hoping to save time by doing copy and paste, I just spent one hour searching for that story, which I wrote down shortly after it happened. I could not find it. It is out there, on some disk somewhere, probably in paper form too.
Well, now that I have thrown an hour away, I'll sum it up:
Royce had a brother, a black cat by the name of Little Guy (not to be confused with my own Little Guy) whom Jacob gave to his friend, Angel. Angel and Little Guy now live in Phoenix, but back then they lived in Wasilla. One day, Jacob. Jacob put Royce in a pet carrier of the kind that fold and are made either of plastic or cardboard so that he could take him to Angel's house to play with his brother. Royce hated to travel in the car and howled and fussed all the way over.
I understand that once they got there and Royce went inside and saw Little Guy, he calmed right down and they had an excellent time.
When it came time to go home, Royce fought hard against the idea of getting back into the pet carrier, but Jacob stuffed him in anyway.
Again, Royce howled and screamed and clawed and fought, but he could not get out of the carrier... until he did. He went a little mad. Jacob then stuffed him back into the carrier, but Royce now had his escape technique down and just kept popping back out.
Jacob gunned the gas, hoping to get home fast. A cop pulled him over on Lucille for breaking 50 in a 35 mph speed.
Royce was out of the box, but now he wanted out of the car. The cop came with his ticket book pulled out and motioned to Jake to roll down his window. Jake partially did. Royce lunged for it. Jacob pulled him back and tried to get him back into the carrier, but Royce soon broke free and lunged for the window again.
This kept up for awhile until the cop gave up and told Jacob just to get that cat home as quickly as possible.
That's how Royce saved Jacob from getting a speeding ticket.
Of course, you could also say that Royce was the one who caused Jake to speed in the first place - but, knowing Jake, he would probably have sped anyway and then would surely have gotten a ticket.
So Royce actually did save him.
;)
Royce and Melanie.
;)
Caleb and Royce.
;)
Lisa and Royce.
;)
Charlie, Royce and the Oldsmobile Starfire.
;)
Charlie and Royce.
;)
On December 26, 2007, a new baby was born into this family. When Jacob and Lavina brought Kalib out, Royce was right there, hanging close. We did not know it, but an amazing relationship had just begun. This is the second thing that I promised to do in this post - explain something of this relationship to newer readers who might not know.
;)
Kalib and his family moved in with us for over a year so that they could save money to buy a house. During that year, Royce was always watching over Kalib and hanging out with him. He watched when ate his first birthday cake.
;)
He was there to coach him on when Kalib took his first steps and his mother cried.
;)
When Kalib went out to hunt Easter eggs for the first time, Royce was right there with him.
;)
The two were together most all the time.
;)
They would even go walking with Muzzy, out in the marsh.
;)
When Kalib laid down to marvel at the mystery of a fluffy white cloud floating through a deep, blue, sky, Royce gave him a soft pillow on which to lie his head.
;)
Kalib could be exuberantly rough with Royce, but no matter how rough he got, Royce understood and tolerated. Not once did he ever claw or bite him.
Not once. Martigny clawed once, but not Royce. Not ever.
Kalib could be caring and gentle, too, willing to share his food.
;)
Kalib would cuddle the cat.
;)
Royce did so love his little friend!
;)
When little Kalib would sleep, Royce would watch over him.
;)
Kalib was not the only one to ever use Royce as a pillow.
;)
Then he got sick and I had to give him medicine.
;)
I could go on and on and on. There's lots more, but I will just leave it here with Royce in the window, when he was good and healthy.
Reader Comments (17)
he was a good cat.. :) hope each day gets a little easier without him...
I love the picture of Melanie with her cat. Although, it would appear that really, Royce was everybody's cat.
A beautiful friendship and a special bond, I know you will all never forget Royce and especially Kalib. Hope you are all ok. Thank you so much for sharing, Royce had such a nice life.
such a gorgeous cat
I think God gave us pets to help us understand how to be kind. To them and to one another. Very much enjoyed these posts about Royce.
Thank you for sharing this beautiful post.
Royce will be remembered by many now. What a great cat. Thanks for sharing Bill.
Bill, So sorry for your loss, my sympathies to you and your family. Royce was a wonderful cat, loved by a magnificent family.
Mike
Thanks for sharing so many beautiful pictures of Royce. What a handsome, unique, loving boy. The world lost one of the great ones.
that photo of kalib with his head on royce looking at clouds is one of my all time favorites--even more powerful now that you have laid out their bond in this narrative. I am tearing up over royce and I never even met him.
I love the one of Kalib, Royce, and Muzzy.
There's something about yellow cats. They're extra-special. I don't know why, but they are. Over the years, we've had a Jacob, a Sascha, and a Spartacus, and they were all champions at the art of living life to the last possible inch.
I don't think much of cats in general, although specific ones have captured my heart. The tri-colored tabbies are hard to resist, but they have even more attitude than most. The big yellow boys, though - they seem perfectly human.
Dogs have people. Cats have staff. Yellow cats have family.
I love Royce. What a special cat.
Bill, the passing of Royce and your wonderful photos touched my little heart so much. I just went through the 40 posts mentioning him. I've seen some of them, but others I missed. THEN I finally went to your other site No Cats Allowed.
What a nice evening I'm having, thank you!!
Royce -- what a wonderful cat -- and what a wonderful family he had! He will be missed for a long time, by many who loved him without ever meeting him, as well as by his whole family.
People who say animals don't feel the way people do have never been around certain creatures. Like Royce. RIP.
What a beautiful short story and life..
You have a book there. I'm sure his life would touch many people. Royce was born into your family, lived his life loved and appreciated, eventually died and was buried by those he loved and who loved him.
What more could anyone want from life?
Forgive me, readers, for not making personalized responses to each one of your comments over these past three posts on Royce. Although I want to, the events and lack of sleep not only of this past week but these past couple of months, have left me too tired and drained to write much.
But know that I have read and appreciated each comment.
Yes, I agree about the book, but I do not know how to get such a book to a publisher. I have proposed a couple of different cat books to the one or two publishers who you can reach without an agent, and I have approached an agent who likes cats.
The normal thing when a book or book idea is rejected is to return it with a form letter, but in the cases I mentioned above, the proposals came back with personal letters, indicating that the publisher or agent was moved by the material - in one case, to tears and laughter, at times charming, at times poignant, but damnit, just not right for the book market.
There are formulas out there and neither my cats nor I fit into these formulas, but one day, hopefully before I grow too old, fall into ill health, or die, but even if after, someone is going to have the vision see beyond the forumlas and then some of the best cat books ever made will come into the market.
That, my friends, is a promise. And Royce will be right there, in the midst of them, to spread the love that he always sought to new generations.