Madam Queen

Madam Queen

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.

Madam Queen. This photo, thanks to a Google search, is very close to my Maddy. The only difference is the eyes. They were jewels and they were amber colored. Yes, the yellow ribbon adorning the royal neck is embellished with rhinestones. Or maybe diamonds.

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.

Another version of my Maddy, to give you an idea of the enormity of these furry felines.

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.)

I was probably five years old in this photo. That’s Maddy on the end of my bed. Framed Hummel prints adorned the walls; a monstrous pink radio sat on top of the Victrola cabinet from my grandparents, an heirloom we still treasure.

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.

Sorry, Mickey, it looks like Brown Bear was cuddlier.

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.

Grandma's visit in 1963
Fall of 1963. From left, Dave, Harry, Grandma, Mom, and me. This is our backyard in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.

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Liz
Liz
August 15, 2020 12:37 am

I’m watching an old episode of Brady Bunch (S2, Ep 15) & in the background of one scene there’s a tall plush cat. It’s pink but caused me to suddenly remember my own kitty who was lavender and had amber jewel eyes. She hasn’t come to mind in over 40 years! So I googled out of curiosity and found your lovely post where I very much enjoyed the stroll down Memory Lane.
🙂

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