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Chester update: Hamming it up

Chester update: Hamming it up

IMG_8531Chester Rosenberg “should not” be flourishing.

Chester Rosenberg “should not” be more energetic than a dozen Jimmy Fallons.

Chester Rosenberg does not believe in should-ing on himself.

"Yeah, I ham for ham...but I live for love."
“Yeah, I ham for ham…but I live for love.”

Where we last left Chester, he was beset by fast, ferocious cancer — the kind that practically grows back as you slice it out, roaring all the way, with a near-term deadline scrawled across its ugly face.

That hasn’t changed.

Neither has his heart disease…
…nor his coagulopathy (inability to clot properly)…
…nor his hyperthyroidism…
…nor his chronic kidney disease.

In no way has Chester’s horrifying health improved.

In no way is Chester concerned.

Well, that’s not exactly true. Chester has his concerns — big, honking concerns, in fact.

"What glory do ye bear?"
“What glory do ye bear?”

Chester’s concerns simply concern baloney.
Thinly-sliced turkey.
And, when the stars align and the mercies of God smile upon him…ham.

Since Chester is, by all diagnostic measures, what experts call “fixin’ to die,” we’ve thrown the strict prescription diet out the window. We’ve thrown it out the window, spat spitoonfuls of spite upon it, and then proceeded to drive back and forth over it with each of our cars.

This means that Chester gets a taste a double-decker bus full of our lunches each day.

Lucky for Chester, the Tabby’s Place staff is only about 50% vegetarian. Which means that roast beast abounds.

The most lavish beast-bearer is, of course, our fearless leader Jonathan. His hand goes down, laden with lunch — but blink or you’ll miss it, ’cause Chester chomps in record speed.

Ham hogged down, Chester’s big eyes — “those baby-golds,” in Ginny’s charming turn of phrase — sparkle up again. Next? With what shall I cleanse my hammed-over palate? Quail, anyone? Olive loaf? Ham part deux?

With his half-shaved back and his angry tumor visibly groaning out, Chester springs through the Lounge, a fount of life. His energy suggests he’s just been diagnosed with “immortality” rather than cancer, or perhaps won a Pulitzer, or at least reached the highest level of Cat Collector.25655962793_ca02fbb35a_z

But he’s just happy and hammed-up, hamming for ham* like the fully-alive glory-beast he is.**

Yes, it’s about the ham; no, it’s not all about the ham.

Chester is just alive. Present. Rebelliously joyful.

Today is a good day, and that’s enough.

Just as it should be.

*And it is any coincidence that the outrageously kind, jubilant Lin-Manuel Miranda, the brilliance behind Hamilton and #Ham4Ham, just won the actual Pulitzer? No, no it is not. Reasons for happiness in this world are legion.
**Fully Alive Glory Beasts would be a great name for a band. With accordions.

2 thoughts on “Chester update: Hamming it up

  1. There you go, Chester! Live in the moment, one day at a time. Happiness and a sense of being loved are the greatest medicines in the world. Kisses on your tuxedo nose! And – I don’t know a cat that doesn’t love ham. Why is there no ham flavored cat food?

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