A Stroll to the Other Side

A Stroll to the Other Side

Matt Savarese

“I believe cats to be spirits come to Earth. A cat, I am sure, could walk on a cloud without coming through.”

-Jules Verne

Spirits… one I would soon become. My old flesh would not stand the test against malignant cancer, unfortunately. Not long ago my doctor informed me he did not expect me to survive the next three months. Since then I’ve elected to do the things I love regardless of how much my illness burdens me. Before my body gave way to the powers of disease I spent my days walking through the countryside. I used to enjoy strolling along the hills with my beloved taking pictures of clouds hovering over fields of green. My late wife took her leave before me and I was excited to join her again. 

In the morning I was especially limber, contrary to how I normally feel. Lately I’ve been feeling rather deathly. I took the opportunity to go on another walk through the countryside. After coffee and breakfast I began my excursion with a stroll through my garden. On the way through I saw my neighbor's cat Baxter who likes to hang around my carrots. Knowing my back would suffer some great peril I bent over and patted his gray fur and scratched his chin. Normally he would claw my hand to death and hiss but today he actually let me pet him, just before he clawed my hand to death and hissed.

“It was great to see you too, Baxter.” I never understood his hostility towards me. Who hurt you, Baxter? His appearance and temperament always reminded me of my childhood cat, Sir Cuddlesworth. Baxter bolted and hopped over my fence that was in dire need of repair. One day we’ll be friends, I thought. I left my garden and headed up the hill behind my house. 

Once I reached the top of the hill I looked around and observed the landscape I’ve come to know over my life. There was the lone weeping willow to the north that always waved in the wind when I walked past. To the west was a plateau on the coast with the famous Hanging Rock watching over the ocean. And just in front of me were rolling pastures that housed myself and my neighbors. They had so much character and I’ve visited them every week for the majority of my life. However, I felt strange, a way I don’t normally feel. I felt bored. I decided that today I wanted to see something different. Something new. 

Before I decided to head east and explore I turned around to see Baxter watching me as he sat swishing his tail back and forth. I waved goodbye and began my journey into the unknown. I bobbed through the countryside finding many hidden treasures I hadn’t seen before like creeks, knolls and groves. Using what little energy I had left I scouted along a rocky creek shrouded by lush birch trees. The creek was alive and well after a long drought supplying the local flora with bountiful nutrients. The rushing waters allowed me to meditate and forget about my misfortunes. 

I had become so immersed in exploration that I neglected to remember where I’d been. As a result I got lost. Not surprising. My adventurous spirit was just as active as my furry neighbor’s apparently. After realizing the sun was beginning its descent towards the horizon I turned around to make my way back home for lunch. I sifted through the creeks, knolls and groves once more to see if they’d stir my memory. However, my memory was in the same state as my body. I felt turned around but when I turned around I felt turned around again. I became dizzy with the amount of times I retraced my steps. The sun seemed to increase speed the more I searched for my home. Thankfully, my gray neighbor found me attempting to hike up the bank of a creek. 

“Ah! Baxter, good to see you.” He squinted at me with his yellow eyes. 

"Can you help me, friend?" I asked. At first he looked at me with disdain but then he relaxed.

"Meow." Said Baxter. 

“Good. I’m trying to find my way home.” Baxter rubbed his head on my leg then began walking down a trail I recently explored. I was just about to turn around and head the other direction when Baxter stopped and beckoned me with an assertive meow. Shuffling my geriatric feet I caught up with him and he continued his pace. 

“Are you sure it’s this way?” Baxter ignored me and kept walking. 

When we came around the bend the cat stopped and stretched, clawing at the dirt as he did. I looked up to see a blinding light cascading through the trees and shrubbery. It looked as though ten suns were setting at the same time. 

“Where are we?” I asked Baxter.

“Meow.” Suddenly I was presented with a long tunnel and at the end of it was the light. It was then I knew that I had been led to the other side. 

“Well Baxter… I must say I’m a little surprised.”

“Meow?”

“Because I thought you hated me. But I see now that I was wrong.” Baxter winked and turned around, leaving the portal through which we came.

“Thank you! I hope we meet again soon!” I saw that the tunnel was quite lengthy and would take some time to traverse. That was until I realized I no longer had a body. I began to feel weightless and free like I was a child again. I was filled with joy and like a bullet I rifled towards the light eager to reunite with my love. There she stood in her youth like when I met her. I wept in joy as we embraced.

Before we moved on I turned to the light and asked,

“Who was that by the way?” The light glowed brighter and said,

“An old friend.”