My relationship with my Abuelita (grandmother) was that plainly she educated me by giving me the advice that Sancho Panza imparted to Don Quijote. To that she added the refrains that she learned when she was educated as a little girl in Valencia. She was most modern as she never told me “Alex no hagas eso,” but “Alex if you do this these are going to be the consequences.”

Of boring people she told me that they were “la compañia del niño muerto,” or “the company of a dead child.”

Now with the death of my male cat Niño I find that I have to look at her advice under a different light.

Somehow Niño’s twin sister Niña knew something most human about what death is. Since Niño died she is inseparable from me. She is most affectionate and leads a life of routine even to staring at me around 8pm when she knows I will give her some treats before we might get in bed to read. She gives me a needed stability to my day.

And so my Niña is now the company of “el Niño muerto”.

Niña

I have a feeling that my Abue would smile at my adapting her advice to the circumstances.