I remember the first time I saw her, peeking out of the car at me. The fear and distrust in those huge green eyes told me I would have my work cut out. She had been found by a workmate's girlfriend in an alley, and was still nervous about everyone and everything around her. She was a beauty, though: graceful in movement and form, long and silky with tortoise shell fur, and a line down the middle of her face separating those shockingly expressive eyes. And she was trying to tear my hands off.

I feel that a cat should have the name that he or she deserves, so I lived with her for a couple weeks before choosing one. She made it a challenge, as she proved to be a cat of many moods. She really seemed to have no single prevailing attitude. Her feelings about a person or situation could change in a heartbeat. As that became her defining quality, I landed on the only possible name……Sybyl.

Life with Sybyl was a challenge in the early days. She didn't seem to like me, and seemed hell bent on destroying everything I own, including Avatar, the senior cat of the house. There were a couple times when I considered getting her a new home. I would have to capture her to pet her, and while I held her and stroked her gently, she would wail as if suffering the tortures of the damned. She finally found one—and for a time, only one—way to bond, and that was by sitting on the edge of the bathtub while I took my bath (as that apartment had no shower). She would just sit there and watch, and purr the loudest, deepest purr I've ever heard. She fell in only once. I never saw a cat move so fast.

She proved a smart one, as well, smart enough to figure out how to open a kitchen drawer and snag a favorite toy. Smart enough to know how a doorknob mechanism works, and try to turn it. Smart enough to learn that if the front door wasn't latched, she could open it by tossing herself at it. If it were locked, she would just bounce harmlessly off. I'll never forget the first—and only—time she went into heat. An entire evening of "Meeeaarrrlllllllllll" WHHUUUMMMP! "Meeeaarrrlllllllllll" WHHUUUMMMP! "Meeeaarrrlllllllllll" WHHUUUMMMP!

She weathered a lot of changes with me, and always made herself not just at home, but the Absolute Queen and Monarch of All She Surveys and Most of the Rest. She slowly became more affectionate, although still very aloof, especially with the other cats. She did not at all like the idea of moving in with a dog, but eventually resigned herself to having the lummox around. As long as we all understood that she was superior.

And the games we would invent! Not only the typical hunting games that cats play, but there was also her world class bagpipe impression, with me holding her on her back like I'd hold a baby, and squeezing her gently, while she'd wail out her interpretation of "Amazing Grace". Then there was the Sybyl Game, which required a straight-backed kitchen chair with a space between the back and the seat. She would lay on her back with her head and front paws looking up at the back of the chair. Her rear feet would kick at the front of the chair back while she tried to kill my fingers as they moved across the back of the chair back. If she started to slow down, a couple soft spanks would rev her up again. Hours of fun.

It was when she became the only cat that the aloofness ended. She was, from that point on, Daddy's Little Girl. She rarely passed up a free lap, and adopted Avatar's habit of jumping up on the bed after I got in, to sit on my chest and say goodnight with that loud purr. Then it's up on the headboard, or the windowsill, to lull me to sleep with that same loud, deep, satisfied sound. She still hissed at Angus a lot (he is the clumsy sort and would step on her occasionally) but she'd also lick his face when she thought I wasn't looking.

She slowed down a bit as she aged, and didn't play as much, but was still vigorous enough to defend her ground. She stayed healthy for over 15 years, aside from having to take medication for hyperthyroidism these past few years. It became more difficult to give her in the past six months, though, as she became less and less likely to eat. She lost weight.

The last few weeks saw some changes in medication and feeding tactics, but to no avail. She had developed heart disease, and that was affecting all other systems, as they all need blood. She couldn't get up when I did this morning, and didn't respond to fluids at the emergency vet. She threw up blood. At age 16, it was time. I had to relieve, and release, her.

Sybyl lay in her Daddy's arms this morning as the sedatives put her gently to sleep. My friend Amy and I stroked her and cried while telling her how much she is loved. When her heart stopped beating, for a moment mine did also.

She rests in the garden next door, where birds sometimes play, with a marker painted by my friend and neighbor, Beth. It looks just like her, in the prime of health. She would approve. It suits her dignity, and shows her beauty.

While "Googling" recently, I stumbled across a fairly long list of Presidential quotes, and I started thinking about the stunning array of positions these words could be used to support. It seems a popular notion these days that nothing sells a political idea better than a quote from a respected leader that gives prior mandate-- or seems to, anyway. For instance, one of those "Liberal" organizations, such as the ACLU, might like to quote the President who said;

 As Mankind becomes more liberal, they will be more apt to allow that all those who conduct themselves as worthy members of the community are equally entitled to the protections of civil government. I hope ever to see America among the foremost nations of justice and liberality.

 Likewise, a "conservative" organization like the NRA would want to adorn their tracts with one of these fellows;

 When firearms go, all goes. We need them every hour.

 The very atmosphere of firearms anywhere and everywhere restrains evil interference - they deserve a place of honor with all that's good.

 Those that want an immediate withdrawal of troops from Iraq would love to have their argument propped up by the respected leader who said;

 My first wish is to see this plague of mankind, war, banished from the earth.

 (never minding that it's the type of thing that people who start wars tend to say.) The administration's angrier dissenters on the war issue would more likely put this guy on their website;

 Over grown military establishments are under any form of government inauspicious to liberty, and are to be regarded as particularly hostile to republican liberty.

 Well, that particular Commander in Chief didn't seem too eager to re-enlist. I'm sure that those brandishing magnetic ribbons on their Windstars would take more pride in the Civilian Commander that declared;

 Our country's honor calls upon us for a vigorous and manly exertion; and if we now shamefully fail, we shall become infamous to the whole world.

 There are those, then, which favor weak government, with minimal involvement in citizen's lives. They used to be Republicans, but are now more frequently found in Independent and Libertarian circles. They'd argue for less government by quoting one of these respected statesmen:

 A government is like fire, a handy servant, but a dangerous master.

 The marvel of all history is the patience with which men and women submit to burdens unnecessarily laid upon them by their governments.

 Meanwhile, those that want a stronger government with broader powers, whom the Republicans used to call "liberals" and now call "core constituents", will add an "Amen" to this President's prayer;

 'Almighty God, we make our earnest prayer that Thou wilt incline the hearts of the citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to government; to entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another and for their fellow-citizens of the United States at large.'

 See? There's something for just about everybody. No matter what your cause- liberal or conservative, pro- or anti-war, big or small government, there's a President out there to say you're right. This gives your position legitimacy, solid ground upon which to stand. It shows that a smart guy like the President agrees with you, so anyone else would be stupid not to. And here's the great thing—you don't even need that many Presidents! I covered every issue above with only one, an old fellow named Washington (I didn't fool you one bit, did I, insightful one?)

 So what does this prove? Well, for one thing, it shows that a flip-flopper can still make a good President, contrary to current notions. One can only imagine how Rush Limbaugh, using the quotes above, would take Mr. Washington apart if he were running for office today. Myself, I tend to think that changing one's mind, even just a little, shows the ability to allow an idea to evolve. It confirms blood flow above the mouth.

 More importantly, though, it shows how gullible we can be. It's easy to be swayed by the words of someone we admire, especially when the person in question is long dead. If history's whitewash has done it's job, it's august figure's words carry that much more weight, and seem to gain an unimpeachability that our own opinions lack.

 We must remember, however, how easily manipulated these words of wisdom are. What was the context? What were the sentences before and after the quote? In particular, I'd like to know what ol' George's day had been like before that prayer.

We must also remember that age and experience can and will often lead someone to say something quite different than they've said before. George lived long enough to change his mind about many things. Just how much time elapsed between supposedly contradictory statements?

 Finally, we should all remember that the President isn't necessarily smarter than we are. That is on some occasions truer than on others, of course.

 I leave you with this dictate from George;

Make the most of the hemp seed and sow it everywhere.

Yes, SIR, Mr. President!