Goodbye Mottel

Hello everyone, this is Morry.

Today we had to say goodbye to Mottel.  He had his 15th birthday just a few weeks ago.  It appears he hung on just long enough for us to get back from our trip to say goodbye.  I have never lived in Austin without him.  We are all going to miss him very much.

I got Mottel right after I graduated, but before I moved down to Austin in May 1998.  When Mottel was a kitten, I would just watch him and laugh at all the things he'd do.  I remember him racing from one side of the room to the other to jump on a ball that was hanging down from his claw sharpening post.  Mottel endured lots of change and always made it through.  We temporarily moved back to Pittsburgh for 3 months.  He drove up in the car with us.  Every time I'd speak, he'd climb from the back of the car into my lap (even while I was driving).  Then Rachel came into our lives and he had to share me with her.  Then, the big change for him - Lizzy.  It took quite a while for Mottel to trust Lizzy, but in the end they became friends.  They'd even play together, as recently as two weeks ago.  Evan was next to enter the picture followed by Noah.  Through all of that, we were close.  Evan and Mottel developed a special bond this past year.  Mottel used to not eat unless I watched him eat.  Evan took over that duty.  Two weeks ago, Mottel slept on Evan's bed for a while.  Evan was so excited about that.  Mottel absolutely loved the extra attention he got from Evan.  Every morning before we left for school, Evan would give Mottel a kiss.  One time, Evan got a static shock on his lips from doing that.

We are thankful that Mottel did not suffer too much.  I tried to get him to the vet this afternoon as fast as I could, but I was not fast enough.  He had passed away before I got there.  Rachel, Evan and Noah met me there and were able to say goodbye.  They took a paw print of Mottel's and gave it to us.  It's a moldable thing that you can decorate and the bake to harden it.  I think Evan would like to keep that in his room.  Evan took (and is still taking) this very hard.

Evan had baseball practice at 3pm.  I felt it was important that he be there.  I thought it would be good for Evan to do something that he loves to take his mind off of everything.  He was very upset when he got there but once he started playing and talking to his buddies, he really brightened up.  Once practice was over, he thought about it again, but it was a very good 2 hour diversion.

I, too, needed to be at baseball practice. I helped out and it helped me get my mind off of things as well.

At 6pm, we were supposed to meet my very good childhood friend, Maggie, at a hotel where a band was playing.  Maggie is in town for South by Southwest.  She works for a music PR company.  Rachel wanted to know if I was up for it.  I don't know if I was up for it, but I really needed to not be home.  So we went over there.  It was great seeing Maggie.  The boys enjoyed the band.  Noah really liked one of the songs.  Maggie has two other friends living in Austin and they were there too.  All of us had dinner at the restaurant in the hotel.  It was a nice dinner and we enjoyed the company.  Noah really liked Maggie and her friends.  He was a huge ham.  It was funny.  He was making everyone laugh.

We came home and I read to the boys and put them to bed.  It was kind of late, but to be honest, I think it was better for Evan for me to put him to bed and have him just go to sleep than have to think about things.  I imagine it will be hard for him in the morning.  He was the one who would go downstairs first and let Mottel out of the laundry room and sit with him.  But today and tomorrow will be the hardest days and every day after he'll feel a tiny bit better than the day before.

Until next time...