Milo

by Sharon Waters

In this short story beloved feline Milo vanishes out a window. His disappearance is devastating and searching for him preoccupies that summer. Hoping for his return through an unexpected miracle, the author describes the anguish of a soul-mate pet gone missing. Milo is the only remaining cat of the many she's had, and a special trip is planned for Milo to celebrate their bond. But when Milo disappears, besides the heartache, even the daily functioning of life goes awry. The author struggles with Milo’s significance to her and how she should handle this loss. Milo’s disappearance symbolically mirrors deprivation and shortcomings in the lives of other people the author encounters during her search. Milo needs to be found, and lives need resolution when setbacks occur. Besides finding Milo, the story explores love, loss and coping.

27 pages, Paperback

First published March 28, 2015

Reviews

[Ren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Super short story of the author's time with her cat Milo and the time he went missing from her RV. Having already read her book, Three Years in a Walmart Parking Lot, I was already familiar with what was shared here though some of the details differ in this account.

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

For many, animals are part of our close family. We have a "Milo" or two in our lives and are heartbroken when they are sick or lost. Sharon Waters' journey while Milo is missing leads to greater self-discovery and awareness as she struggles with the decision to go on her trip. For someone who had surrounded herself with animals and family, and one-by-one had to let them go, Milo's disappearance took on particular significance. Ms. Waters' gives us a window into her thoughts as she makes this journey and tries to act "normally" while grieving Milo's absence. This is a thoughtful, absorbing true story that made my heart ache for the writer.