Farwell to Bob�

2005-06-28

Bob has been with our family for nearly 18 years.

I'd been living with my folks since a very bad lupus flare had hospitalized me for months and made me unable to care for myself.

Bob followed my youngest sister and my mom home from a walk one day. He looked not quite fully grown.

Mom and youngest sister tried to walk him away from the house; hopefully back to his owners. But he wouldn't leave. Youngest sister encouraged his staying by secretly feeding him.

On Christmas day Dad brought him in and threw him on the bed and said "Merry Christmas!" We had a new cat.

Youngest sister got married and I moved out, but Bob stayed. Dad likes cats, and he'd been without since the last one, with the family for 18 years, had died.

Now he's without cat again. I'm sorry that Bob died, but he just couldn't carry on any longer. The body gave out.

Dad, on the other hand, has to go on without his friend and lap warmer. I know how he feels.

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