SOLON & BEYOND: The day Percy walked into my life

by Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percy
grams29@tds.net
Solon, Maine 04979

In my continuing effort to write a column without any recent news, I’m going to put in old news again! This one goes way back to February 11, 2005! Percy was still alive back then and we had started a paper of our own!”

It starts out, “Perseverance (Percy) Rogers co-owner of SOLON and BEYOND and I were going to go to Florida to visit some of my family. It starts out, ” Would like to introduce you to my partner and supporter, Perseverance (alias Percy). On bad days he is right there to cuddle with me, with one paw as far as he can get it around my neck.

Percy started out as a frightened stray kitten and was rescued by a family on Route 43. They called and told me about this sweet little female kitten that needed a home and it was love at first sight. I named her Faith, but as luck would have it, on the first trip to the vet, I found out that a boys name was needed instead. After a short time this little kitten started his true personality and hence Perseverance, or Percy for short.

Percy has many talents besides being a good cuddler, he is always at the door to welcome me home, loves to sing, (Amazing Grace is his favorite song!) He has become famous and much loved for his good advice in the columns I have written. As you can see from his picture, he is very intelligent and he’s promoting this book of meditations-for-cat-lovers. Oh yes, he thinks he is a mighty hunter and is still looking for the mouse that got away! (For those of you who didn’t get the January 21, 2005, issue of this paper, I told of his letting a live mouse loose at my feet and how upset I got at him) must confess, there is a slight power struggle between us as to to who is really the “Boss!”

I had quite a bit of town news in these small papers that I delivered. The old story continues with these words: “It is now early Thursday morning and we’re in the middle of a beautiful snow storm. I quite often write this paper during different times and days, am finding that it is a full time job. The reactions that I get when I tell people that I’ve started my own paper, are basically the same, total amazement! It affects me like that some days also. One day this week someone said to me, “What are you trying to do?” You’re giving this paper away!” True…. and had hoped for a miracle of some kind, but when the miracle doesn’t materialize immediately, you compensate. Sometimes you have to eat your words, as in this case, never say ‘never’! I had tried to sell ads for another paper for awhile last year and couldn’t reach the goal set for me and so I quit. I remember uttering the words, “I’ll never sell ads again, ever!” Well you will notice that I have started selling ads again, and my many, many thanks for those who responded so graciously. ( And, you know, I did receive a miracle, never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined your wonderful response to this little paper, my heartfelt thanks.)

And so with your great support, I have decided to expand to Bingham. And so the first story from there will start with a question. Can someone up to Bingham tell us Solon people the story, (what, why, who did it and more) about the, as we call it, “Mystery Light” on the river? Going north, it shines from the island, soon after you go by the Goodrich Road.” ( I’m sure that mystery has been solved long before this issue comes out in February 1, 2021!

Percy died a few years ago, and I’m still missing his help, so I’m going to print his message in that long-ago paper: “This message that Percy is approving this week is from his favorite book, What My Cat Has Taught Me About Life. And it says, “To get a grip on a job that’s waiting, dig in with determination. Work past that imposing start. and get hooked on a dreaded task. Nothing productive in this world happens without hard work. Sharpen your character with a little gutsy determination, and sink your energies into that next project.”

(Editor’s note: After proof reading this week’s paper I would like to add the following saying told to me by a fiend. “Always make a mistake in something you do, it will give your enemies something to gloat about, and your friends won’t care!”)

To all of you who have lost a pet at some time, and still miss them, and need something to give you a good laugh, I hope this works: It is taken from a little book called The Last Laugh, and it says Epitaph to an unhappy marriage: “Within this grave do lie, back to back, my wife and I. When the last trump the air shall fill, if she gets up, I’ll just lie still.