Character Sketch (The Eulogy of Cato)

“I thought perhaps I might need an introduction, but I see that we're all familiar with each other. I ask you to join me in remembering and celebrating the life of my brother Cato.

Growing up with Cato was an absolute privilege. Thanks to him I was one of the few kids who never experienced boredom. He seemed like a certified summer vacation professor. He taught me how to get lost in my own thoughts, unwind, and forget about the practicality of things when it was appropriate. I remember in our younger years, when my friends and I would be playing football, or king of the hill, and we'd ask Cato to join. He hardly ever did, but somehow still managed to become the appointed leader of our pack. That was what amazed me, Cato was never really conceited or even engaged, but the kids could still recognize his adventure and spirit . We called him Ferdinand because he liked to watch on the sidelines with his head in the clouds, he loved that. It didn't take us very long to stop playing football. We'd have to ask him of course, but Cato invented numerous games, and pretty soon those were all we played. He even invented his own card game.

I'm sure everyone here knows he wasn't a big fan of practicality over doing what he felt was right. In fact I did his homework up until grade seven, can you believe that?! However, his disposition to dream didn't stop him from being extremely successful in university, or in the job category, becoming an actual university professor. Of course success based on money and acknowledgment was a side note, Cato had his own system for defining success.

One of the things I admired most about him was his ability to atomize any competition he felt with others, instead focusing only on an endless battle with himself. Easier said than done. That was Cato's super power, his ability to let all envy slide and solely focus on his own limits. This power was also, in my opinion, what allowed him to always be satisfied.

I don't believe anyone was close to Cato recently, not even myself. He became pretty reclusive. However, that was in his nature, and I'm sure if by some strange occurrence he wasn't already at peace in his own mind, he is now. I can see him up there, wearing a floppy robe and sandals. Boy does that ever suit him. I can see him looking down at us with his buggy eyes and those big old round glasses, wearing his famous half grin. We're all familiar with that grin he'd wear, while everyone talked around him, like he knew something we didn't. I can just see him there now, teaching the angels how to metaphorically live on the clouds.”