Missing Jazz

“Hey, where’s the cat?”

It was an old acquaintance, almost a friend, passing by, the first person here in SB I had coffee with. The coffee shop was busy that first month, the tables all occupied; he was sitting alone at a table be for 2, may I join you? Since then I’d bumped into him many times over the past 8 years and learned he worked for the county in IT. 

He was always cordial like his brief remark yesterday. “The cat is gone,” was all I had time to say before he kept walking away. 

I was sitting with my friend Tom in those Adirondack chairs on State Street, so I was able to tell him who had just walked by. Tom knew of the cat, too. Jazz lived to almost 20 and in his later years as the pandemic hit and cars were banned on State Street I would walk him around The Arlington, he’d walk in any open door and introduce himself. He did this with confidence and regularity, so over a short time he met everyone. His favorite destinations were those that had treats waiting for him and more than a few did. You can imagine people were delighted to see this beautiful cat taking himself for a walk. He was quite the celebrity. Even a walking tour leader would pause her tour to recognize him if their paths crossed. 

Today to my acquaintance I’m thinking a more appropriate reply might have been, “He was one in a million!” 

I’m missing my best friend Jazz today.