Hey bud…

That’s what I would say nearly every morning…and every afternoon when I got back home…and it was always directed to my little buddy…Sammy. This morning was the first morning I can remember saying it, and not seeing him.

We had to put down Sammy yesterday…at the age of 19, it was just time. He wasn’t doing the best anymore, and it was time for us all to say good-bye. I miss him like crazy…the whole family does.

I’m an emotional guy…but I’m opposed to sadness (which is probably a defense mechanism…or something)…so when I’m sad, I try to immediately find a way to be happy…(buy something, eat something, go somewhere)….this time around though, I’m letting myself just be sad….and it sucks.

Back in 2000, fresh out of Drake, I thought, hey, time to get a cat…that’ll be a fun 8 -10 year experience….and instead, I was just lucky enough to have my little dude for 19 awesome years.

He picked me…there were about 7 in his litter, and I couldn’t really decide, and then he jumped out towards me and rubbed against my leg. That was it…he was the one.

Sammy is named after Sammy Sosa…who at the time was one of my favorite Cubs players of all time…which began changing once Sosa got traded…then turning his back on the Cubs..and falling into a general state of strangeness. My Sammy though…lived on…and never turned his back on me.

He purred…oh I don’t know 15 times in his entire life. He was a happy cat, I just think his purrbox was broken. My wife got him to purr more than I could… I’d pet him, and then listen for a purr…usually it was just deep breathing.

He was so good with the kids…my daughter looooooooooves him so much, and she just couldn’t resist showing him how much he loved her on a continual base. He just took it all…a few hisses…but no swipes, no nothing…he just was a chill cat.

He loved treats…loved turkey…loved bacon…loved licking Doritos.

He never had a desire to outside. If you let him out…he’d just walk right back to the house.

We’d go the Sculpture Park and do photo shoots…he maybe hated it? He probably just hated the idea of being somewhere new.

He was such a big part of our family…and my wife, my son, my daughter, and I…we’re just absolutely devastated.

Putting him down yesterday was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do….saying good-bye to him broke me. I miss him. I’ll always miss him.

We love you Sammy….you’ll always be with us. Forever and ever.