Bad news...I wasn't going to say anything about this until I had the time to write a whole post, but then everyone keeps asking me about him, so I have to tell you....that...Gatsby...has...died...
Here's what happened: I came home after putting my mother and sister on the plane to find my dear little kitty dead in my house. He'd been there for a while, so I'm not going to lie, it was pretty gross...smelly...
My host family was absolutely wonderful and cleaned up everything for me while I stood outside, not looking. They even scrubbed and swept the floor, then instructed me to light my candles to help with the smell. They also told me they had been giving him food regularly but one day, shortly after my mother and sister's visit to my village, he stopping coming out of the house (he could get in and out through a window). They said they think he ate something bad (e.g. a poisoned lizard).
They did their best to comfort me, telling me I could get another, better cat. But I think I'm done with pets in Africa. Only Allah knows how long I will be staying here or if I'll be moving around more. Gatsby and I shared a special bond, short-lived as it was...
It's sad...but as one of my favorite Pop, Uruguayan musicians sings, nada se pierde, todo se transforma. "Nothing is lost, only transformed."
