I hope we did what’s best for you
I know, at least, we tried.
I took you to the doctor
And I stayed there at your side;
I talked with you for one last time
Then held you as you died.
I kissed your head, and said good-bye
And cried
And cried
And cried.

In 2009, this verse marked the death of the original Cuttledog. Today, it marks the end of Einstein the cat, AKA Mister Handsome Boy. Cuttledaughter and I were there at the end (crying buckets), and Cuttleson had just spent the weekend with us. Mister Handsome Boy had a good morning–he got the food he liked, instead of the medicated stuff he hated. He got seconds, when he cleaned his plate. He got to go outside and sniff the grass, which was always his guilty pleasure. He was surrounded by family telling him he was a good boy, when it was time for that. Honestly, this was a best possible case scenario… so why am I still crying?

Goodbye Einie, Mister Handsome Boy. No cat ever wore a tuxedo with such aplomb. Or, on occasion, with such silliness. You had a good life, a long life, and it was still over way too soon. If only we could all learn from that.