Old Nombly was a mongrel

I think most of you have heard by now, that Fernando and I had to take our cat Nombly to the vet Wed morning and he was put down because his lungs were full of fluid and he could hardly breathe. I've spent the day just watching TV and crying whenever something sets me off. There's a lot I want to write about our Nombly, but one thing at a time.

My dad once taught my roommate and I the words to the Old Yeller theme


and after that we made up an Old Yeller song for every pet we got. Nombly's went like this:

Old Nombly was a mongrel
A little straight-eared mongrel
Fancy free, without a family tree
But he could up and do it
Just like there's nothing to it
And that's how a good cat should be.

Here Nombly! Come back Nombly
--meh! meh! meh!--
Beeeest doggone caaat in the Eaaast!

Nombly was saying "meh" long before it became fashionable. He had this short, staccatto sort of meow. Along with a short, whippity tail.

Little whipity tail