How to say goodbye.

Let's just start this out by saying I am a animal person. I know, how could you even guess, with all the gerbil talk. But this isn't about my baby boys. This is about a friend I have had since I was in the third grade. Theo. My true baby boy.

I found him walking home from school one day. Well, I should say some boys in the neighborhood found him. He was sitting under a tree, trying to walk up to the boys, while they threw dirt clods at him. It was the saddest thing I had ever seen. He was meowing sadly. I ended up screaming at the boys, and throwing a few of my own dirt clods. I then went and grabbed the poor baby. That was when I realized why he wasn't running away. His back paw was completely broken. I carried him home, and tried to talk my mom into letting him stay. Like always, she said no. But he had his own plans.

My mom and I went grocery shopping that night. When we got home, I saw the cat still on the front porch, but didn't really think anything of it. Much to my suprise, however, as soon as my mom opened the door, he was in. We couldn't get him out. He just sat and looked at us. So my mom said he could stay for the night. Everything changed when my dad got home though. He sat down on the couch, and patted the spot beside him. The cat jumped right up and started purring. He was in.

We named him Theodore. (Theo, for short.) And he became a huge part of our family. He was there when my dad died, and he was there to welcome me home from Florida and juvie. And he was there a month ago, to welcome me home again.

But now, his time is coming to an end. I don't know how to deal with him like this. He won't eat. He's listless. Right now he is walking around meowing horribly. I don't know how to say goodbye to my baby.

So please pray for my little boy.