My cat, Riley, is gone. This is a tribute to you, my buddy.

[Bake]

Riley O'Malley. White cat with a little gray cap on his head. Rescued from a cardboard box on the side of the road, 7 years ago.

I never really liked cats before Riley. He was special. A lot fo cats are aloof, but not Riley; he loved attention. When he got a broken leg as a kitten, I took him to the clinic where he'd drape himself over my shoulder while we waited for the vet. Every day, for years, when I'd pull into the driveway, he'd be sitting in the window watching for me. By the time I got inside, he'd be up on the kitchen counter to greet me, leaning as far out as he could without falling. He loved to sit right next to me on the arm of the sofa, or on my desk, wherever I was - that's where Riley was.

Oh, Riley could be one condescending cat! From his safe altitude on the counter, he'd sneer at our dogs. And then he'd proceed to push stuff off the counter. But he was my buddy.

Anyway, Riley got sick. Really sick, and he wasn't going to get better. And I had to make the decision to let him go. I still feel crappy about that, even though I know it was the only decision to make.

I brought Riley home yesterday. That's when it really hit me. Now his ashes are in a beautiful little mahogany box on a shelf in the living room. And I miss you, buddy.

Bake