This is a story I wrote over a number of years, starting in about 2013, about our cat, Walter. Walter adopted us, much how the story describes, while we took our daily walks through the neighborhood. I’d like to make this into an actual children’s book someday, but I need an illustrator.
Walter The World’s Most Remarkable Cat
by Bart Kessler
On the west side of town near an old laundromat,
there lived Walter, the world’s most remarkable cat.
He was black as the night but with glowing green eyes
and was brave and as strong as a cat twice his size.
He had many adventures, he caused quite a stir.
He was like Error Flynn or John Wayne, but with fur.
(You may have to be old to have known who THEY were.)
What set him apart? Let me tell you his story.
There’s many a tale of his daring and glory.
He once was a pirate and sailed to Hapuna
and traded doubloons for some fine bits of tuna.
He drove race cars in Europe and won every race.
And a nice bowl of milk was his prize for first place.
He toured with the circus, was shot from a cannon.
He’d soar through the air with a reckless abandon.
Why he’d turn and he’d flip then land right on his paws.
And the crowd would erupt into thund’rous applause.
He was launched in a rocket ship out to the stars.
He orbited Venus. Even landed on Mars!
Riding out on the plains, this remarkable cat
wearing jangling spurs and a ten gallon hat,
was the best cowboy sheriff that you ever saw.
He was brave and stout-hearted and fast on the draw.
There once was the time that the princess McFadden
was stolen away by old Thomas the dragon.
Well Walter said “No!, I’ll have none of that mister!”
He saved the brave girl (and then quite shyly kissed her).
Once every four years at the Summer Olympics
He’d bring home a medal of gold in gymnastics.
As you can imagine, he just couldn’t be beat.
No matter what happened, he’d land right on his feet!
But these noteworthy feats? They were just in his mind.
When the morning sun rose, he’d wake sadly to find
he was still just a stray cat alone on the street.
He was cold and was scared and had nothing to eat.
He’d imagine the stories to help himself cope.
And he found when he did that it gave him some hope.
Because deep in his heart he just knew it was true.
There were truly remarkable things he could do.
But one day his luck took a turn for the better.
A couple was outside enjoying the weather.
It took only one glance and he knew in his heart
There was something about them that set them apart.
He could tell they were special, most gentle and kind.
So he bucked up his courage and made up his mind.
And he told them that he was the kind of a cat
who could run the one-hundred in 5 seconds flat.
He could sail the wide ocean, and bend metal bars.
Be the winning contestant on Dance with the Stars.
Well as you can imagine the two were impressed.
Though they didn’t speak kitty, they quite rightly guessed
from the sound of his voice and the look on his face
that this cat was a cat full of courage and grace.
So they brought him along to their house down the street
and they gave him some nice bits of chicken to eat.
“Living out on your own is no good”, they both said,
and they offered their home and a nice bed instead.
Walter’s heart leaped for joy and he promised the two
he would be ’bout the best friend that they ever knew.
He would brighten their days and would treat them both nice
and make sure that their house never had any mice.
And that’s just what he did, to the couples delight.
And before he would curl up for sleeping each night
he would tell them a tale of his brave derring-do.
And their love for each other? It grew and it grew.
So maybe he didn’t win all of those races.
And maybe he didn’t go all of those places.
But there’s one thing for sure, that’s when push comes to shove
there’s no cat in the world who can show you more love.
And if you decide you will measure like that,
then he’s truly the world’s most remarkable cat.
