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Walter.
Submitted by: Linda W
Oak Forest ILRecently divorced, my home was sold and divided so I have been moving trying to find my new home. Shortly after my divorced was finalized, my son had strongly encouraged me to move to Florida. I moved there and have lived there for 31/2 months.
I bought a mobile home in a 55+ community in Florida shortly after my divorce was finalized. I was adjusting pretty well until one evening I was watching a movie and realized I hadn’t seen Walter, my beloved cat, for quite a while. I looked everywhere. Then I noticed the window, which was his favorite place to sit, was open and the screen had been pushed open. I ran outside looking for him but he was gone. I sat in a chaise lounge all night hoping he would return, but he didn’t. I did this three more nights when suddenly I saw him run from across our small road to a home two doors down from me.
I grabbed an open can of tuna and quietly laid down on the driveway. I set the can down and quietly called for him in the baby talk way I always do. He was crying as he paced back and forth. He came within reach and I grabbed for him and missed. He ran. For the next three weeks, I enlisted the help of my community and walked through the streets at night looking under cars and homes. I bought visual baby monitors to watch for him. I even enlisted the help of my ex to get him back to me. It wasn’t until my neighbor across the street told me Walter would come and sit on my step as if waiting to come in that an idea came to me. I felt very safe there so I had left the Florida room door open and the patio door to my home open at night so he could come in. I put his litter box, his favorite blanket, his favorite food, and toys in the Florida room. I put a plate of food on the step outside to entice him. I tied a rope to the door and to a chair inside my home so if he entered, I could pull it closed. I sat looking at the camera monitor all night. He would come and eat and look around. A couple of times he came in a few feet. I would call my ex crying, thinking the worst. He kept encouraging me and I kept thanking him. I sat there night after night imagining him walking through the Florida room and into my home. I could see his every step in my mind.
Then almost exactly three weeks later he did just that. Exactly how I imagined it. He was in my home directly behind the chair I was sitting in. I was in shock not knowing what to do when I remembered I had taped the rope to the door to the chair I was sitting in. I slowly reached for it and pulled. The door slammed closed and he screamed. I walked to the door, pulled the rope taut, and locked the door. He was behind the couch crying, but he was home. I believe he came back to me because of the love I had for him. Also because I had visualized it and because of the gratitude I gave my ex for listening to my desperate cries of feeling helpless. I truly believe, with all my heart, that when you see it happening, and you give love and gratitude, your dreams come true.