Gracie V

by Grace
(New Mexico)

Pie, Pi, Phi, he hasn't told me yet how he spells it - came to me from the wild colony that lives in the country where I live, in the northern mountains of New Mexico. When we first met he was far too wild to approach, but he had a family, mama and two babies, which of course made him receptive to the food I'd set out near the back door. He would eat, then mama, then the babies.

At that time I still was working in Cali, teaching high school. When summer ended, I had to leave home. Pi's family had grown less wary, but he had come miles toward friendship. He would allow himself to slide sideways along my hand, but not much. And I was afraid of him.

Here's why. He's part lynx, or bobcat. He weighs about 25 pounds, with luxuriant black fur, funny little ears and eyes, big, big head and a tail about 4 inches long, with a little right angle bend and the end of it. His jaws are huge, his paws and claws are formidably huge too. And all the cats feared him. He would ward them off; with just the slightest angle of his head other big males would run.

When I came home at the end of the school year, this time for good, Pie was there. And he was full of love for me. He gave me his trust, the top of his head to my hand. He leaned into my touch with his whole body.

He had to learn not to swipe at me when I took my hand away - which he learned by my response. I would affect great injury, and make crying sounds. His empathy was astonishing.

In less than a week he had claimed my bed and me. He sleeps with me, but has had a hard time sharing me with the other four-leggeds. He was especially mean to Bo, my pitbull/Jack Russel terrier. A peaceful soul, almost impossible to rile, and who never responded with anger or violence.

Pi, on the other hand, has a bad temper and he's jealous. He occaisonally smacks me, usually on the side of the head. He doesn't move like a house cat. When he jumps his back feet and front feet all arrive at once, compact, heavy, incredibly strong. But he does not use his claws.

When I wrote that I had come home for good, that wasn't quite true. I had recently gotten married, and was going to move to Boulder at the end of July. I had a job there, but my husband's house had no place for me. And he doesn't like cats, and doesn't want a dog.

He had been recently divorced, and his adult children were furious about our marriage. The house was filled, from basement to attic, floorboards to ceiling, with their things. Every art project from their ages of two; the laundry room floor was covered in four feet of clothes.

I knew my husband needed help with the house, but he was paralyzed. He did not want to alienate his daughters by messing with their stuff. As the report date for my new job got closer, he grew less and less able to make room for us. And I knew I was in love with Pi, as he was with me. I couldn't move there and stay sane.

But if it hadn't been for Pie, I would have gone. My husband dumped me, but it wasn't as bad as it would have been had I tried to live in his house.

Now Peony (pronounced Pea OH ny), Pi's baby now a yearling, has joined us. What a love. Confident, trusting - a purring wonder. My heart is glued together with their love.