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March 6, 2010

Local cat icon meows no more

"Beauty is truth, truth beauty." If Keats could write that way about an urn, I guess we can spend a few lines honoring a very special cat.

His name was Magoo and he died last week at the ripe old age of 26.

If you didn't know Magoo, you don't know McGee — Charlie McGee. Charlie has been my friend for a long time, and his business mascot Magoo lasted just a few years short of three decades.

Long ago, I was a proud participant on Charlie McGee's slow-pitch softball team. No thanks to me, it was one of the best in North Country history. I still have the uniform and the team photograph. Please don't ask if the jersey still fits.

Charlie was a very serious guy in those days, and when he came to me for some kind of "hook" for his radio commercial, I dreamed up the antithetic moniker, "Smilin' Charlie McGee." At the end of every ad, I intoned, "Smile, Charlie" and played the sound of a man's hilariously funny, wheezing laughter. It caught on. Some of you might even remember it.

KING MAGOO
When Charlie moved from a local service station on Route 3 in Plattsburgh to a car dealership in the former Safety Steering Building farther west, he wanted a cat. One of the gals who worked for him headed to Elmore SPCA in Peru and found a pathetic orange creature that Charlie now recalls "was on his last legs." The male feline was about 6 or 8 years old at the time. They brought him into the shop and nursed him back to health.

Charlie himself came up with a name: Magoo. They fawned over him, fed him well and coddled him. They built a special nest for him and even constructed stairs for Magoo to climb and look out of the window. He was soon king of the castle.

He was treated like a member of the family, and I really think he fancied himself human. He seemed to understand what people said to him and reveled in his role as top cat.

Soon, I began to incorporate Magoo into McGee's radio commercials. At the end of an important point, I would say, "Isn't that true, Magoo?" That would be followed by a soon-to-be-famous Magoo meow. People stopped at McGee's just to meet this famous feline. Charlie included a photo of Magoo with ads run on the pages of this newspaper.

NINE LIVES GONE
To say that Magoo received special treatment would be a gross understatement. He never left the shop for more than a quarter-century. He had round-the-clock company with two other large orange cats named Morris and Tom.

Then, there's Midget. One day, Charlie was driving his tow truck up Dennis Avenue in Plattsburgh and slowed before halting at a stop sign. He was startled when a small cat leaped from the pavement through the window and into the cab. Charlie said, "It's a sign. Now you're mine, little one, and your name will be Midget."

Hey, I couldn't make up a story as good as that.

It was sad when Magoo began to lose weight over the past year and had to be "hospitalized" during his latter days, suffering from terminal cancer. Finally, the last of Magoo's nine lives played out, and I was saddened to learn of his demise. Charlie tells me that, after cremation, he will personally bury Magoo on the business property in the spring.

Kaye and I were kibitzing with some fine folks at a fast-food restaurant a week or so ago and told them the Magoo McGee story. They smiled and told us of losing a treasured white cat. His name? McGee.

Charlie says an artist friend has a photograph that was taken of Magoo sleeping on an American flag. It's a classic Magoo pose and will be transformed into an oil painting for posterity.

Other cats around the world have reputedly lived up to 37 years, but none could hold a mouse to Magoo.

Good night, Magoo, wherever you are. Have a great day and please meow, er, drive carefully.

Gordie Little was for many years a well-known radio personality in the North Country and now hosts the "Our Little Corner" television program for Home Town Cable. Anyone with comments for him may send them to the newspaper or e-mail him at gordandk@aol.com.

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