She Never Fiddled While Rome Burned

I don't know that I believe that "these things always come in threes." They do, however, seem to come in groups.

Last week my vocal coach, Elynn, said goodbye to her beloved cat, Nyro. Before they moved upstate I met Nyro a few times. She was, in my experience, all the things we expect a cat to be. She only came out to see me when she was really intrigued (I credit my backpack covered in pet smells) and if I tried to pet her or get down on her level she usually gave me an extremely aloof stink eye before sauntering away. As time went on, though, I seemed to pass her tests and once she even let me pet her without evacuating the premises. She was a devoted sun worshipper and a beauty queen and overall a real treat.

Nyro and Elynn spent 16 years together. Elynn credits Nyro with keeping her safe through a lot of life's changes. I know, as do too many of you, that losing someone who was coded into the muscle memory of your daily life is a blow you never entirely recover from, even when it's unavoidable.

This Thursday, due to organ failure related to old age, Elynn let Nyro go. In their honor, please find the gooiest, smelliest, craziest treats you can and, as our tradition goes, give them to your pets for performing their most important trick - being here.

*Photo courtesy of Nyro's people. Used with permission.