“Extra Big Burlouch”
contemporary figurative painting. acrylic on wood. 14 in x 18 in.

“Extra Big Burlouch” contemporary figurative painting

My sister had a fat old momma kitty named Burlouch.  She was rescued from a shelter and had a rusty old purr.  She was very loving, and her favorite activity was sitting in laps and napping.

Sometime after we moved to Athens, Georgia, Burlouch was killed by stray dogs.  It was a real loss for the family, and I was overwhelmed with sadness for weeks afterwards.

One night I had a dream about hiking in the mountains.  There was a bear coming down the trail, and it reared up and grabbed me in a bear hug around the neck.  But then I realized it wasn’t a bear.  It was Burlouch, and she was extra big, even larger than I was.  She hugged and hugged me, and I could hear her purring loud and clear.  I was overjoyed, but then I realized that it was too good to be true.  I thought it must be a dream, but I could really feel her back claw poking into my side.

When I finally woke up, I was bear-hugging my pillow, and a feather quill was poking through the pillow and sticking into my side.  I laughed and laughed, even though I still had tears of joy in my eyes.

That dream has to be one of the most comforting dreams I’ve had in my life.