The Ones We Leave Behind

When we decided on bus life, never did we consider the animals we'd meet along the way.

We were setting out without one, as Turbo passed away at the end of July, and we decided that no litter box on the bus was a gift we would take.

Three months later we arrived in Cushing, Oklahoma, to help build a shipping container home.

We were greeted by a large striped cat in shades of brown, demanding to be loved.

His owner, Jenni, said he would likely find himself on our bus if we let him.

Would it be a surprise if I told you that we let him?

He found that Connor was a furnace and liked to curl up for a nap alongside him. Or sit next to him when he played Magic: The Gathering, or his switch, or watched tv, or ate, or did geometry, or breathed.

He also found his way onto my lap more often than not, if the boy was still asleep and he needed to be loved. He was a little needy, but I loved it. I had missed having a cat around.

We learned a valuable lesson with this cat named Master Chief.

We learned that falling in love with animals along the way is dangerous, because you have to leave them behind when you go.

The day we packed up the bus and rolled out of Cushing was a sad day all around. For me, for Connor, even for Andy. When Andy started the bus up, Master Chief didn't even flinch. Just kept on sleeping up on Connor's bed like he hadn't a care in the world. When I told him it was time to go, he jumped up and went out into the kitchen and laid on the rug. He didn't care. He knew we were going, but he most certainly thought we would take him with us.

I had to pick him up and give him a squeeze before we left, and told him that he couldn't come along, he had to stay there. The look he gave me suggested he thought otherwise, but he gave me a meow and turned and went down the steps to Connor.

I love that boy. We cried together, the three of us. For the loss of another cat, for the lesson learned that day, for each other.

This bus life is hard. It's a constant learning curve, but we do have each other, and that makes even the hardest parts that much easier.