The Autumnal Presence

With the green verdent with shrouded with aged leaves, my evenings became longer and more darker. As I lived alone in my spacious condominium, my former abode seemed like Aladdin's magic cave: threatening to swallow me in one gulp. Yes, I am being a rather morbid creature for my dear black cat "Fishie" had died.

My meeting with Fish was pretty absurd. I wanted to buy a couple of Gold Fishes from the local pet shop. But en route to my destination, as I hurried past the narrow alleys of Vernazza a shrill cry stopped me in my tracks. "In the name of the Lord", I muttered as I saw two brillant cobalt blue eyes amidst a mass of black fur peering at me from beneath raise window shed. There he sat, crumpled like a fuzzy bob, emaciated with fear and wonder in his eyes as he purred out to as if to say, "Per favore aiuto"(please help).

Since then Fishie, the cat whom I rescued while intending to buy a fish, became my roommate. I became a cat lady in the real sense of the term. Strangely I always felt him to be a rather oddball as he stared at me long enough to know what I was thinking. Even as a cat it seemed as if he was different from the lot. As I forgot things he would pick them up and give them to me. Or if I forgot my meals he would protest loudly. Happy seven years had gone by, when he died mysteriously. Even before he died due to alleged unknown reasons, his looks pierced me deeply for a final time as if to say "grazie mille" (thank you).

Several months later in mid autumnal days, forlorn I wandered like one of Wordsworth's lonely clouds untill it became dusk. Refusing to return home early I usually sat on my favourite benches in the small community park. But on that day I felt someone's gaze on my back. Unnerved got up and ran off to a local café. While I spent some time there and decided to venture back home someone called me from behind, "Excuse me signora." I turned backed unwillingly for I was the only customer left to leave the café. And then I saw a tall man with tousled black hair and brilliant blue eyes peering at me. "I saw you sitting in the park. You had left behind your notebook on the bench. Here it is", said the man as he gave me back my prized notebook where I had pasted a photo of Fishie. "Well Good Night then Cara mia I hope you don't forget your meals.", was the last thing he said with a smirk as he left for the night keeping me mute with surprised stupor.