Of Puff the Blue Kitten and Reliving the Past

It was actually my sister’s book, not mine, and I didn’t have much use for it as a child.

Puff the Blue Kitten was one of the Little Golden Book series that got its start in 1942. Puff was published in 1961 and told the story of a mean little kitty who had no friends, until the day he ended up covered with blue paint. The bird and the mouse he’d terrorized didn’t recognize him, and the three of them played happily… until the rain came. End of friendship, and a very sad face on the abandoned Puff.

I didn’t have much sympathy for Puff then. Generally, I was on the other end of the teasing and torture for my unusual name (“Smelanie” for “Melanie” and “Pig-me” for “Rigney”). I totally understood the mouse and bird’s refusal to believe Puff could have changed.

Funny how a few decades can change your perspective. I recently got one of those “do you know” recommendations from LinkedIn that featured someone who worked for me long ago. She wasn’t in the right job then, and I didn’t spend a lot of time coaching her or helping her find a better fit. It was easier to complain about her  and roll my eyes and show my skills with sarcasm when we interacted.

I looked at that recommendation for a long time and tried to tell myself she probably doesn’t remember me or that if she does, I probably wasn’t as mean to her as I remember. I thought about whether all these years later an apology would mean anything to her… or if I’d be doing it more for myself. Then I thought about Puff the Blue Kitten, and moved on. Sometimes, it’s kinder to let the past be the past.