The Nephew has lost his cat, Marvin.
Marvin was an indoor cat who somehow got out in the past couple of days and hasn't been seen or heard from since.
He's upset. He loved Marvin.
I try to console him, lightly as is my nature, with an offer of one of my cats, but he won't hear of it, he's busy calling the SPCA and posting up flyers in his neighborhood.
Now when he describes his loss it seldom centers on the cat. Marvin, yes, he was a good cat, but more important was the Christmas outfit he had ordered for him from Italy, $300.00 he spent, he was going to dress Marvin as Santa Clause and the dog and other pet (??? I don't know) as elves.
The costumes, they're nothing without the players expected to wear them.
And so I offer again my cats, either one, he can have his pick, and as the days pass and Marvin fails to show up he's considering it....