William S. Burroughs: The Cat Inside

The sight of Ed's empty food bowl...He was always fed from a small bowl in the front room. Ed's little white food bowl, with green trimming around the rim, bits of dried cat food stuck to the sides, is still on a shelf in the front room.
The ancient Egyptians went into mourning for the loss of a cat and shaved their eyebrows. And why shouldn't the loss of a cat be as poignant and heartfelt as any loss? Small deaths are the saddest, sad as the death of monkeys.
Toby Tyler cuddles the dying monkey in his arms.
The old farmer stands by the unfinished wall.
The pictures are engravings in old books.
The books crumble to dust.