She was regal. She dripped with jewels. Her royal standing knew no equal.

And she was purple.

I don’t know why, but memories of Madam Queen came rushing back yesterday. And not just my affection for the oversized purple plush kitty cat, but how I got her.

Madam Queen, or Maddy if you knew her well, was a gift. Not a birthday present, not a Christmas package, one of those “just because” gifts.

Grandma Cassidy came to visit shortly after we moved to Massachusetts. She and Grandpa didn’t have a car, so she took a Greyhound bus.

And she brought Maddie with her.

On the bus.

I’ve mentioned before that Grandma was not a tall woman. Well, Maddy was a very tall cat, so the thought of the two of them – side by side – on a bus for what was probably a three-hour ride makes my heart ache with love for her a little bit more than usual.

Maddy is no longer with us, I’m sorry to say, so I can’t measure her. But I’d guess she was 30 inches tall. Maybe more.

Here’s another photo I found online, which should help with perspective.

Sidenote: During the Google search, it came to light that this style of plush cat was christened “Boo Boo Kitty” by the Laverne & Shirley TV character Shirley in the mid 1970s. (And there’s modern usage too, but it’s rude.)

Searching through old photos, I did manage to find one with Maddy in the corner.

That tail of hers could be used as a weapon! (Truth be told, I think it was once or twice.)

Years later, I also hauled an oversized stuffed animal home across state lines.

I was a young mom, on my first business trip away from toddler Thomas.

Pizza Expo was in Orlando that year and we finished the busy week with a free day at Disney World. I honestly would have preferred to just go home a day early, but that wasn’t an option. Somehow, it made me feel better to bring home a giant Mickey Mouse for my two year old.

Mickey didn’t travel on a bus though. In 1986, it was acceptable to bring a huge piece of plush on board an airplane as a carry-on item.

Since the seat beside me was empty, I buckled him in.

“Uh, yes, a diet Coke, please. Oh, and a bit of cheese for my friend here, if you don’t mind.”

The flight attendant was not amused. Mickey and I had a good chuckle, though.

I’m not sure little Thomas even knew who Mickey Mouse was at that point, but he was glad to have his mommy home. I never wanted to let go of that sweet boy again.

By the way, one of the tidbits I picked up while researching Madam Queen was that if I still had her (and she wasn’t as threadbare as she ended up, poor dear), she’d be worth $1,700.

That’s crazy, of course.

But for a little girl long ago whose grandma carried that amazing purple cat across state lines on a Greyhound bus, the memories of that gift are priceless.

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