In Memory of Mr. Buddha (Fuji)

Well, Mr. Buddha was put to sleep on Monday, April 12, 2010. He was born around April 23, 1991, and came into my life as an adorable fluff-ball at a college drinking party I attended on my birthday, June 17 of the same year.

He was christened Fuji because my boyfriend Evan and myself were both photography majors, and already had a first cat we named Kodak - a black and white tuxedo. So, rather than going with Agfa or some such, we chose Fuji to follow our theme (although in retrospect, Agfa's a pretty cool name!).

But over the years, he renamed himself Buddha or Mr. Buddha because he was so centered, calm, regal, patient, tolerant, understanding, disinterested in the best possible way, and generally operated on a higher plane than other cats. He never got involved in the usual enthralling (for cats) issues of territory and hierarchy. He got along with everyone and everyone got along with him. He welcomed any new rescue or housemate into the fold with nary a hiss or swat. So, as the years rolled by he became more and more firmly Mr. Buddha until I almost forgot he ever had another name.

He was by my side through my tumultuous college and post-college years. He was there through a string of roommates coming and going through his home. Through the many nights I came home wasted or didn't come home at all. Through the days when his box didn't get cleaned and he was lucky that at least I always remembered to feed him or get someone else to. I was young and stupid and distracted and self-centered. He never resented any of it. He always loved me just the same.

He moved with me from college rentals, to my townhouse in Millersville, to a variety of apartments in Baltimore city, down to Atlanta and back again, then through a string of rental homes in Glen Burnie, Pasadena, and finally back to a house in Millersville. He always took everything in stride. Wherever the other cats and I were was where he wanted to be.

He put up with a growing herd of resident cats, a rotating multitude of short-term feline rescue tenants on their way to new homes. He welcomed each and every one and made them feel comfortable.

He was beyond special and I miss him dearly. I meant only to write that I would try to come up with a haiku for him, but instead the above came tumbling out... I WILL try to write a haiku for him when I'm able but don't know that I possess the creativity or skill to encapsulate the uniqueness that was Mr. Buddha in only 17 syllables, or even a series of 17 syllables.

Goodbye, my long-time friend. I will miss you.