The Story of Marie and Magic

"When my daughter Marie turned 18, we gave her a small black kitten from Pet Pride; a cat rescue organization. She loved the kitten very much and took it everywhere with her. She named it Magic Johnson because he jumped like the basketball player who was popular at that time.

Some weeks after her birthday, Marie began to have strange symptoms that the doctors couldn't understand. When a doctor finally diagnosed a brain tumor three months later, it was too late. She died in the hospital on the day she should have graduated from high school.

When I came home without her, Magic appeared at the foot of the stairs and rushed around the house meowing loudly. He kept up this behavior for a week and then became withdrawn. It took three weeks to get him to accept me as his friend.

Eight years later, he died of fip despite the vet's best efforts. He was loved very much for his personality and because he was a last physical link with my daughter. It wasn't till afterwards that I realized that he died on the anniversary of her death.

I think he grew anxious to see her again and if there is a rainbow bridge, I know that my daughter stopped there to play with the animals and wait for her friend to join her."

- Patricia Partin