Lyr Add: Ptolemy's Last Journey (Nicola Carter)

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Ptolemy's Last Journey (Nicola Carter)
From: GUEST,keberoxu
Date: 15 Jul 25 - 07:51 PM

This is really sweet. I grew up with pet cats
although I don't have any in my advanced age.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Ptolemy's Last Journey (Nicola Carter)
From: Waddon Pete
Date: 10 Jul 25 - 10:55 AM

Nicola’s poetry and prose are always top notch. Thank for sharing this gem.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Ptolemy's Last Journey (Nicola Carter)
From: JennieG
Date: 09 Jul 25 - 01:16 AM

That is lovely, Nicola. As Sandra said, a tissue (or hanky) moment.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Ptolemy's Last Journey (Nicola Carter)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Jul 25 - 12:19 AM

Similar to this cartoon (scroll slightly to the top of 50 best cartoons) about dogs in heaven. Choose the "lite ad" experience to get past the roadblock.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Ptolemy's Last Journey (Nicola Carter)
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 08 Jul 25 - 05:46 PM

beautiful (sez. sandra wiping away a tear)

Subject: Lyr Add: Ptolemy's Last Journey (Nicola Carter)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 08 Jul 25 - 04:22 PM

The resident poet at the Mudcat Worldwide Singaround is Nicola Carter. She often reads us our latest work, and she's become quite popular. Here's a recent piece of prose from Nicola.

PTOLEMY'S LAST JOURNEY
(Nicola Carter)

Ptolemy walked through the mist, it wasn’t like ordinary mist, not damp at all, just mist. His tail was up as he trotted along. He felt better than he had in days, well weeks really now he came to think about it.

He hadn’t been here before but he seemed to know the way. Eventually he saw a light up ahead. He quickened his pace curious to know what the source was. Then he saw them, a vast pair of gates much, much bigger than any he had seen before. The light appeared to be coming from them , or maybe through them. The gates were shining, sparkling with flashes of gold and silver and opalescent pearl. Ptolemy was gazing up at these gates in wonder when he heard someone call his name.

“Psst Ptolemy, over here. I knew you were coming so I’ve been looking out for you. Quickly before St Peter notices.”

Then Ptolemy saw his brother’s head peeping out through a discrete cat flap near the bottom of one of the gates.

“Socrates where have you been. I haven’t seen you for 2 or 3 years. Who’s St Peter and where are we?”

“St Peter is the old chap over there with the keys and this is heaven. Come on in while his back is turned.”

“Heaven really? I thought we weren’t allowed in here. I thought it was only for humans.”

“Well technically we aren’t but they seem to turn a blind eye.”

If St Peter heard any of this exchange he affected not to notice, although anyone standing close to him might have noticed a slight smile on his lips.

Without waiting for further explanations Ptolemy followed his brother through the cat flap.

“Come on I’ll show you around” said Socrates “You’ll like it here.”

They were now in what looked like a large garden with long grass to hide in and plenty of climbable trees. “If you get tired of the garden there’s a house over there with a fire to sleep in front of and lots of cushions to sit on and no one ever makes you get off the furniture.”

Ptolemy hadn’t eaten much in the last few weeks and now he began to feel hungry. “What about food?” he asked.

“Well I don’t think we actually need to eat here” his brother replied “But there’s this guy called Francis who puts stuff out for us and it’s delicious. Besides it would be rude not to eat it after he’s gone to so much trouble.”

“Oh and one more thing” Socrates added “Don’t hunt the mice and birds here. It’s rather frowned upon. I remember once, well lets just say its rather undignified when a mouse gives you a really dirty look. On the plus side we can chase leaves and there’s plenty of string and balls of wool lying about. We can tangle them up as much as we like and nobody seems to mind.”

Ptolemy looked around, he felt at home already. “It’s perfect” he said.

“Yes it is rather” his brother replied.


Written by Nicola Carter
1st July 2025

Dedicated to Ptolemy, fearless hunter and faithful friend (when he could be bothered)

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Rest in peace, Ptolemy.