A change of pace. How about the story of Charlie the Cactus?

Charlie began his time with us 60 years ago this summer. Somewhere around 3 inches tall and planted in a minuscule pot, the little fellow was brought up to us by my wife’s parents from Western Connecticut to Central Maine. We named him “Charlie” for some silly reason, now lost to memory.

Living with us in our small post-war apartment, Charlie fit comfortably within our four rooms and a balky heating system. Through three moves, until we built our own home, Charlie went with us.

During the next few years, three sons arrived and Charlie continued slow but relentless growth. Not as rapidly as did the three sons but noticeable growth required transplanting to a larger pot and this was a delicate operation since the plant’s spikes were sharp and numerous.

By now, Charlie was close to a foot tall and during handling, required great care and dexterity. During transplanting to yet another larger pot, the plant was dropped and his root broken off.

Well, you know, house plants come and go – it’s no big deal when one is replaced. But Charlie had been a fixture for almost 20 years and the potential for losing him was disappointing.

But no, a son home briefly from college, insisted Charlie was family and should be saved! With diligence born from desire and determination, our son did the best he could, replanting Charlie with the utmost care. And it worked! Within weeks, he thrived once more!

Time passed, college ended and three sons left the nest. Retirement came and with it more time for golf, hunting, fishing, and above all time for writing for various editors in various places. Charlie the Cactus maintained a steady growth, progressing from clay pots to plastic receptacles and a much greater effort required at each replanting, wearing protective gloves for the process. Over a foot tall, he commanded quite a presence! It was during this period that a visiting niece from Pittsburgh commented, “Charlie bit me!” when she got too near his forest of sharp spikes.

Our final move, from Central Maine to Scarborough, included Charlie as well as all our other possessions. Our Westbrook son drove the rental truck with a friend of his and a grandson. We made room for Charlie and other plants on the back seat of our car. The trip was made more ticklish by glare ice on the Turnpike from Augusta on.

Much smaller than our upstate ranch-style home, space in our new dwelling was at a premium, and Charlie was very difficult to handle. The college son who had earlier rescued the plant from oblivion, now in Southern Arizona, suggested we send Charlie to him. And what a tall order that was!

We very carefully packed him and sent him cross-country. It was like parting with an old friend, but we knew he’d be in caring hands.

When Charlie arrived in Arizona, he was banged up and the root broken off but our son, as he did during his college years, repaired the damage as best he could and kept him indoors until he could stand the rigors of outdoor living. So, once planted, for the first time in his more than 50 years, Charlie the Cactus basked in the Arizona desert sun. After a span of time, our son sent us a photo of a renewed and vibrant Charlie flowering as a cactus should!

End of story? Nope, there’s more.

A few days ago, a sad letter arrived from Arizona son telling us that Charlie the Cactus had been eaten, or otherwise destroyed by what appeared to be a marauding pack of javelinas, the pig-like animal common to the desert areas of Southern Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. The size of a medium-sized dog, javelinas eat several types of cacti in their voracious habit. Although hooved, they are not related to pigs but are essentially members of the peccary distinction.

Our Arizona son has spent time looking for root pieces or anything that might result in a resurrected Charlie but no results as of this date.

At least Charlie lived a good life for 60 years.