I'm not as soft-hearted about pets as my wife, but I do know what it feels like to lose one. The following is a letter I received a couple of weeks ago. We have been running an ad about Roland, but he hasn't been found. Maybe someone who reads this has seen him and can help return him to his family.

Dear Editor:

This is the story of a lost pet, an event that I suppose is much too common in our world. But it is more than that. It is a story of a heartbroken young man who has lost his companion. It is a story of good-natured people, strangers separated by more than 800 miles, reaching out and trying to help someone they likely will never, ever meet. It is a sad story, but at the same time, an uplifting tale in a time when we are surrounded by so much despair.

And it's all focused around the northbound Interstate 85 rest stop, just before exit 90 in Gaffney.

My son Patrick, 25, recently made a major decision in his life. He accepted a job offer and promotion within the company he works for and decided to move to Boston from Atlanta, where he had lived for more than two years. My wife and I flew to Atlanta from our home in Connecticut to assist him in his move. We gathered his belongings into his car and a rented mini-van and departed just before noon on Saturday, July 25. Less than three hours into our trip, we decided to stop for lunch at that rest stop.

Patrick's cat, Roland, was traveling with him in his car. Our goal had been to reach Virginia that first day, stay overnight, and then continue on to our home in Connecticut. Patrick didn't want Roland to be caged in his carrier the entire time, so he put Roland on a leash to give him some exercise at this stop. After lunch, as we returned to our vehicles, Roland was acting a little nervous about the unfamiliar surroundings. He was able to wedge himself against Pat's car door and slip the leash. He ran down a steep embankment, through an open picnic area, found his way underneath the fencing, and sprinted out of our view, deep into the adjoining woods.

We stayed at the rest area for more than two hours, calling his name and shaking his canister of dry food, a sound that would usually bring him running for his dinner. Pat found an area of fencing that was knocked over and entered the woods to search, but Roland was gone and did not respond. We were devastated. After posting a note at the rest stop with a description of Roland and offering a $250 reward, we decided we could not continue on our trip. We checked into the Hampton Inn. The staff there was extremely kind, expressing concern, and allowing us to use their office facility. We downloaded a photo of Roland from my laptop, made copies of a flyer and distributed almost 30 in the neighborhood surrounding the rest stop. We went back to wait for Roland until it was dark.

The next morning we searched the area again for Roland but with no results. We talked to more neighbors and distributed more flyers. With the hope that Roland would eventually emerge searching for food, and possibly be found by one of the many understanding neighbors, we left Gaffney. As we continued on our trip, we contacted several animal shelters and vet offices and e-mailed copies of the flyer.

Roland is a black domestic, shorthair cat with a white spot on his chest and another on his stomach. He is two years old, slim and tall. It takes him some time to get used to strangers, but when he does he is quite friendly.

Roland had become more than a pet. He was Patrick's companion, the furry, friendly

face that greeted him when he returned home after work and the pal who slept on his bed at night. Pat spent last Christmas alone because Roland had just had life-saving surgery that cost $3,000 and needed daily care.

They were headed to Salem, Mass., to make a fresh start. Salem is famous for its witch trials and it seems you can't drive one block without another reminder of black cats. My wife and I searched for several weeks to find an affordable, nice apartment that accepted pets. Roland isn't just a cat. He's a fixture in Pat's move and his future. I think most animal lovers would understand that.

Five weeks later, we have not found Roland. Patrick is not giving up hope, but that becomes harder with each passing day. We are, however, inspired by the people of Gaffney, who have been so kind. At the top of that list is Mary Carpenter, from Saving Gaffney Pets Rescue. Mary has worked tirelessly and maintained contact with us for five weeks. She put out food at the rest stop daily, distributed 50 flyers in mailboxes within a mile of the rest area and also in vet offices and animal shelters. She put a classified ad in your newspaper, and rides the neighborhood searching for Roland.

A friend of Mary's, 56- year-old Madis Saarniit, wrote this to Patrick on Aug. 10: "I've gone to the rest area many nights and almost every daytime. I've even used my hand wiskbroom to even out the soft sand under the picnic tables to look for cat tracks.

On Friday, a woman called Pat after seeing the flyer at an animal hospital. The resemblance to her own cat was so strong, she said Pat could have her cat as a replacement for Roland. What an unselfish offer. We thank everyone from Gaffney for such generosity and kindness.

It is our hope Roland has been adopted by people who didn't see the flyer, people who have no idea where he came from. That is possible. Perhaps if they read this and see his picture here, Pat and Roland can be reunited.

Pat loves his new home and his new job. Recently he told us it would all be perfect "if Roland was there." We want that more than anything. Again, we thank the people of Gaffney for their help to this point and hope that someone can help us write a happy ending to this story.
Thank you,
Ken Davis
Coventry, CT
kendavis55@aol.com
Home: (860) 742-9366
Cell: (860) 888-6075