SUSAN LOESCH

CATS IN THE STACKS

Last Friday dawned cool and overcast.

“Please don’t let it rain,” I kept thinking. By mid-morning the sun was bright and the sky was blue, just as you would expect for Remembering Big Footsie Day at the School for the Blind.

I have to admit to butterflies in my stomach as I came to work.

Starting early, students and staff picked up “Remembering Big Footsie” stickers with his picture on them, and black ribbons.

Even Alex wore a sticker and ribbon. On a table in the main hall, we displayed pictures of Footsie and his kids, a copy of Big Footsie’s Story and his newly-put-together memory book with a page created by each of our elementary students.

We had pages for the older students and staff to sign. There was a bouquet of cat tails and orange flowers – Footsie’s favorite color, just like his Harley-Davidson bandana – bound by ribbon with black paw prints, and his collar and tag.

Our speech teacher made a memory book page with a picture of Footsie and one of the Twilight series of  books – Foots was always willing to be part of the speech students’ projects. The picture looks like he chose Eclipse as his favorite book… what it doesn’t show is the treats nestled just below the edge of the book to hold Footsie’s interest!

In the late morning, our 4^th, 5^th, and 6^th graders hiked down to our school sign which read, “We Remember Big Footsie.”

We gathered ‘round the sign and then released one orange balloon carrying the message “We love you, Big Footsie!”

Footsie would have been very unhappy if we had released more, being a very environmentally-conscious feline. With waves and a shout-out to Footsie we watched the balloon rise and drift northward. I wonder if I was the only one with a lump in my throat.

All day people continued to sign Footsie’s memory book. Some of my older students surprised me.

“He was so good at ASB.”

“RIP Big Footsie. All cats go to heaven.”

“I’ll miss U Big Footsie. You are my favorite cat ever.”

“He was always there when I needed him. I could always talk to him about anything, because he was there to listen. I will always have a special place in my heart for him that nobody else will take. He was truly my best and closest friend.”

When the school day ends I am always the first one out the door but Friday I dragged my heels; I couldn’t make myself leave. I feel like Footsie’s day has really marked the end of his era.

He has been a daily part of our school for over 8 years, including the first month of school this year.  Now it is time to let go and move on, but that doesn’t mean we will forget him.

One of my seniors is fairly new to the Arkansas School for the Blind, but I think what she wrote sums it up best.

“I only knew you for a couple of years, but you were so impressionable and lovable…I know you’re looking down on all of us, watching us all grow up with your big green eyes while you run around heaven – 100% healthy.  God bless you Big Footsie.”

SUSAN LOESCH
CATS IN THE STACKS

As our students began to drift in, Alex and I were in the main hall walking around – or at least I was walking. Alex was enjoying an over-the-shoulder chauffering event.

From down the hall, I heard, “Ms. Loesch, is it true that Big Footsie died?” Gulp. I knew this was coming. “Yes, Makayla, it is true.”

Makayla’s sister piped up, “Makayla was crying.”

“Sure she was,” I said. “I did, too. In fact I cried for two days straight. It’s ok to cry.”

“Did you have a funeral for him?” she continued. “I think we should make a big poster and have Big Footsie’s picture on it and put it up in the hall so everyone remembers him.” I told her that we will decide together how to honor Big Footsie and we can certainly do posters.

I went on to tell her that Alex was going to be our Acting Head Library Cat for now. The first picture I have of Makayla and Alex together is when Alex was a bottle baby and Makayla was a preschooler.  She wanted  to take a picture of her and Alex so we went to the library to get my camera.

Alex squirmed a bit in her arms as we took pictures and then settled down.

Makayla lay her head on him and said, “You know, I don’t think Alex loves me like Big Footsie did.”

“He will”, I told her. “And you will love Alex just like you love Big Footsie.”

BY SUSAN LOESCH

CATS IN THE STACKS

Here we are again – Registration Day at Arkansas School for the Blind.  For the 35^th time I am going to be greeting students…and for the first time in many years I do not have our wonderful Library Cat, Big Footsie, here with me on Registration Day. We lost our big fella over the summer to heart disease and renal failure. I am not alone here today; with me is Alex, Big Footsie’s  main Assistant Library Cat, but everything feels different.

Big Footsie has been coming to school for 8 years, so we have students entering the 9^th grade who don’t remember a time without him.  He has been their friend, confidant and cheerleader, loving them unconditionally and letting them know it! They have adored him in return.

Many will be hearing for the first time that he has died. We will have some sadness and some tears, and lots of hugs and lots of talking about our Foots. We will create a memory book for him and perhaps have a memorial service, and then I think we will be able to get down to the business of celebrating his life. And what a life! To be rescued from Death Row at a kill shelter and live as the cherished – and yes, spoiled – friend of a whole school is pretty darn good.

We will also head off on a great adventure this year…the picking of a successor to Footsie as Head Library Cat. Not a replacement, because no cat could possibly replace him!

With the title of Head Library Cat come duties and responsibilities…being photographed when school pictures are taken and appearing in the faculty section of the yearbook,  riding in the Library Cat float for our homecoming parade and being the Accelerated Reader Program “Reading Motivator” for our elementary students. Heavy stuff, so it takes a special cat!

Footsie’s assistant, Alex, will be our Acting Library Cat for now. He first came to school almost six years ago as a 3-week old bottle baby. He was named by one of our students, after herself, Alexandra. He grew up working side-by-side with Big Footsie, his mentor. Being a bottle baby, though, he is quite the mama’s boy. He is content to sit in my lap all day or on my desk and has not been one to run to the front desk to greet visitors the way Footsie did. Given the chance to come every day, though, he might decide to do that!

Alex may decide that he wants the “Head” job, and if he does, it is his. If not, we will “interview” kitties who are in the FuRR (Feline Rescue and Rehome) foster program until we come up with just the right match!

Alex has already decided that Registration Day has quite a lot of appeal…the cafeteria staff always invites the faculty to have lunch. It is always yummy and it ALWAYS has something to appeal to library cats!   Alex thoroughly enjoyed the turkey and is now snoozing on my desk.  He woke up to greet a new faculty member and an old friend, our speech teacher, who brought a wonderful book to us to put in the library in memory of Footsie. Soon it will be time to welcome the students.

I think Alex and I are ready to face the school year and the kids and to head off on this great adventure. Join us and come along!