Max : 1997 ~ October 24, 2006
Last night we lost a beloved member of our Rhinecliff family. Max was taking the evening breezes of Shatzell Avenue when he was hit by a driver leaving the train station.
While we all grieve for our loss and send our deepest sympathy to Stacey, we remember Max for his joie de vivre.
Everyone has their own story of meeting Max but Sean met him while working with Sue at Sie Designs. Office Max was the one often found lounging on the desks if his usual chair was otherwise occupied.
I first became acquainted with Max when the jingle of his collar and tag announced the arrival of an exceedingly handsome striped cat wandering down Grinnell. He kept me company as I gardened and then tried to follow me inside. He did not become adopted by us until Stacey was stranded in Boston during an ice storm and we couldn’t say no to the tap tap tapping at our door. So, there and then he started a friendship with our cats and consequently our friendship with Stacey.
Max continued his benevolent reign of Rhinecliff hitting all parties (more pettings), heading down to China Rose for drinks, keeping an eye on the architecture biz, and making himself at home with Freddy for Christmas evenings. Stacey graciously allowed Max the run of the neighborhood and didn’t seem to mind that we now counted him as our half cat. He spent Thanksgivings with us celebrating, afternoons working on computers with Sean and then evenings on our couch watching television with Koia and Frances, sometimes we would have sleepovers with Max usually heading home around 6 in the morning. Yes, Max was even on our holiday card last year as part of the family.
I think in the back of everyone’s mind was the concern for the many cars that speed through Rhinecliff, but Max was a man about town and we all knew to keep an eye out for him as he would saunter the streets. Rhinecliff is the place to live if you’re a cat – food at every doorstep, people to cater to your whims and needs, and lots of adoring fans. Unfortunately everyone doesn’t share the same sensibilities and care and so we count the number of beloved pets who have perished at the wheels of speeding vehicles.
Thank you Max for making our lives much happier, you are missed so very much!
I realize that there are so many Max stories that keep coming to mind, stories that aren’t special except to us: Max being territorial about “other cats” that dared to visit our property, Max wanting to come in but being frightened of the Queen Anne’s Lace, the way he announced himself by padding at our front and then back doors to make sure that we had heard him, Max taking a walk all around the neighborhood with us, and once all the way to the dock and back, when Gabe & Nancy heard that he would be visiting his grandparents for the summer and missing their wedding, Gabe’s first words were, “but I had khakis and a linen shirt all set for him to wear”. Max flirted with everyone and had the ability to make everyone feel like he had a special place in his heart for only him or her.
Please feel free to share any and all Max memories; doing so will keep him close.
Stacey is asking that anyone interested in making donations do so to Animalkind, Inc. or to the SPCA of Dutchess or Ulster. There will be a memorial service for Max and I will let you know when Stacey has a date for the gathering. In the meantime, click here or on Max’s pic to view a slideshow.
on October 25th, 2006 at 9:46 pm
So sorry to hear the news about Max. We know how very special he was to you both. He really was a member of the family. We looked forward to seeing him, too, on our visits to Rhinecliff.
on October 25th, 2006 at 9:53 pm
Outstanding post Sandy, Bravo ! You have written so eloquently what we all feel !
Please click here for my Christmas Max story.
Hugz,
Freddy
on October 26th, 2006 at 10:47 am
Gabe and I send our loving thoughts to all of you in Rhinecliff. Max was the “Ham” of your hamlet and he will be truly missed. We adored him and considered him family – from his always welcoming jingle jangle of his keys, coins, or collar, to the slumber parties with Gabe and I on the futon – he was one Cool Cat and after that slideshow, i would venture to say,”move over Ben Kingsley” THAT is one SEXY BEAST – We love you Max and will never forget you!
on October 26th, 2006 at 12:11 pm
Many people don’t know the story of how Max came to me, so I wanted to let you all in on “the beginning”. I was living in Indiana and for the first time in several years of living with a pet, decided that it was time to change that. With my work schedule (still as nutty then as it is today), I knew I could never get a dog, as I just wouldn’t be able to responsibly commit the time, so, I thought, “Hey, cats are so independent and half the time, they don’t even care if you are there, so, I’ll get a cat.” Enter, my trip to the Humane Society in Bloomington, IN.
When I entered the front door and explained that I wanted to view the cats, my escort walked me down the hall toward the door to the “cat room”. During the walk down the entire corridor, I could hear this cat just yowling, for lack of a better word. I mean, he was just carrying on and each yowl was so long, I couldn’t figure out how a cat could exhale for that amount of time – he should have been on stage!
When we came through the door, the cage directly in front of me held the source of this most despondent diatribe, a gray tiger cat, named Mr. Peabody. He was about 6-8 months old and unfixed.
He was glued to the front of the cage and the yowling (it was in NO way a meow) was incessant. There really wasn’t a way I could not open the door and have a visit. We spent about 7-8 minutes together and then I told him that I had to move on and see the other cats. He was sweet and cute, but I didn’t know exactly what I was looking for and was leary to take “the first cat I saw”.
Upon closing the cage door, the yowling commenced immediately and continued for the duration of the time I was viewing the other cats. And, he was glued to the front of the cage, again.
All of the other cats were either kittens or very long hair angora type cats, for which I have worried about coat care, etc. So, as I turned to make my way back to the door, I thought, this poor cat, he sounds so pathetic, I’ll give him a few minutes more attention and then I’ll go home and “think about it”.
As I approached his cage, him yowling and pressing against the door, I said to him, “Ok, relax. I’m coming back and I’ll just give you some love. It’ll be fine, just relax (and please, quiet down).” And that, was when he played his trump card.
When the technician opened the door and I moved up to pick him up for the second time, he looked at me, stopped his yammering, turned on his heel and walked to the back of the cage and sat down.
And I knew from that second, he had the EXACT right personality and attitude for me. I was meant to be with him (and he knew it).
And so, that is how Max came to be.
And as you have seen yourself, you never had a choice in the matter as to whether he would be a part of your life.
Like he did with me, he chose you.
And I couldn’t be more completely grateful for the choices he made.
I love you all, very much.
Please click here to view Max’s flyer that will be posted about town.
on October 26th, 2006 at 12:39 pm
What a wonderful tribute to the MaxMan. My condolences to Stacey, and to you also Sandy, Sean and your own animal brood.
Being from New Orleans originally all I can muster to say is that Max was one of the “coolest cats” I have ever come across.
on October 27th, 2006 at 2:17 pm
My condolences all around. What sad news. But what a life! He lived by his own rules, was well-loved in his community and made you a richer person for having known him–we should all be so lucky! Thank you to Stacey for sharing such a wonderful animal, you have our sympathies…
on October 26th, 2006 at 9:57 pm
Thanks S&S!
the words, stories, and slideshow were all very emotional and it was really touching to hear Stacey’s story. i don’t know what else to say yet…
love you guys and max.
~g
on October 26th, 2006 at 1:05 pm
Thanks for the heartfelt post. I am still in disbelief. Max.
Miss him and wish i could get just one more pat in.
SS
on October 25th, 2006 at 7:27 pm
Dear Sandy and Sean,
Who is the unbelievably gifted photographer? The shots of Max are just what I see when I look at my cats. Beautiful. So is the Blog copy, Sandy. They’re a fine tribute.
on November 30th, 2006 at 5:09 pm
Max was our wonderful grandcat, who lived with us in the summer, and we absolutely adored him. Today is the first time I’ve had the courage to look at this wonderful tribute to him. With tears streaming down my cheeks, I had to write about how much we loved him. Thanks you Sandy. We will never forget him and will miss him very much. Louella and Wayne Adams (Stacey’s parents)