Sam Baron, Cat Lover (Part 1)

Last week, my mother-in-law had to put her cat to sleep.  Toby (also known as the "Grumpy Cat") did not like my children (or any children for that matter), so they didn't know him well.  Toby always stayed in the furnace room when we were visiting Grandma Ellen.  The kids thoroughly enjoyed taunting him by sticking things under the furnace room door.  Toby would retaliate by swatting a paw under the door at them.  It was quite the game.

When no kids were around, Toby was a very calm, sweet, beautiful, long-haired gray cat.  He was the softest cat I've ever touched.  It was sad to hear that he had gotten so sick, and even sadder to hear that he had to be put down.

I answered the phone when my mother-in-law called with the news, and then I headed outside to let Bill know.  TJ and Sam listened intently.  TJ immediately expressed sympathy for Grandma Ellen and talked about how pretty Toby was, and how much Grandma was going to miss him.  Sam started to agree, but then interrupted himself.  "Wait a minute!  Does this mean we can go in the furnace room now?  I've never been in Grandma Ellen's furnace room!"

Moment of sympathy?  Over.  For Sam, anyway.