The autumnal equinox took place that same morning at am, and so she is now our first fallen leaf of autumn, marking the beginning of this solemn season of change and transition. September 23rd is also the birthday of the great John Coltrane, a day acknowledged and honored each year by my parents, and the observance day of Padre Pio, the Italian Saint revered and followed by our dear friend Tom Verlaine, who also passed away at the very beginning of this year.
Cairo was born in New York City on November 15, , and not too long after her birth, she was brought home to our house to join our family unit. Cairo, a gawky little abyssinian cat with eyes of green flourite and a soft ruddy coat resembling the Egyptian pyramids and the sand that surrounds them, was the runt of her litter, cast out for being too weak, a burden on her mother and the rest of the kittens. In the earliest years of our time with Cairo she was skittish and shy, nervous around people, and spent most of her time disappearing into hiding places.
We had another cat in our family since Christmas , an intelligent and dominating leader, and Cairo took some time to display her own brand of presence and confidence. As Cairo adapted to her new life, she remained cautious and apprehensive, squirming fiercely and darting away at loud sounds and sudden movements. She rarely showed interest in visiting the back patio, the front stoop, and was wary of any new person.
A hand reaching out to offer a loving scratch was met with visible fear and there was certainly no chance of leaning in for a kiss atop her head. I was preoccupied as a child with my already established bond and friendship with The Kitty, and Cairo to me seemed more like a wisp and a shadow, a fleeting silhouette appearing here and there in a frantic condition. But slowly and with time, as she developed a deepening level of trust, a funny cartoon-like relationship with other cats, and as she relaxed to a level where her personality began to show through, something became clear to us all: Cairo was quite rare and unique, a truly special being.
In nearly 22 years of life on Earth, Cairo never once hissed, bit, or scratched another person or animal. She never showed an ounce of irritation, aggression, or dominance. She was a being of love, wanting simply to share attention and affection. She displayed qualities of connection that seemed to exist in another realm of communication, beyond that of language or the need for words.
