1. Fish is not a nightmare. If you think he's a nightmare, you need to read the piece again. And yes, he illuminates real things about real people. He is the ultimate background check. I read your comment to him and he thinks you need to read the piece again.

2. I do not hate Fish. The whole piece is about comparing him to Millie, yes. And I agree that the emergency vet murdered Millie -- I say this clearly in the piece. Do you somehow think I murdered Millie because I took her to a vet when she got suddenly ill?

3. I have a sneaking suspicion that *you* don't know what the phrase "organizing principle" means, so let me help you: it's an architectural philosophy concerned with how to use resources. Let me help you further: it works in this piece because Fish has helped me determine how to use my resources, in this particular case, my attention.

4. My relationship with Fish is not toxic, which is...a weird thing to think about a relationship with a dog, who are by definition never toxic. They are dogs. They are guileless.

5. Again, Fish is not a "toxic-ass piece of shit." And yes, he is the ultimate background check. When he got to this part of your comment he told me to tell you that maybe you need to do something about this apparent anger problem?

6. Sticking it out with dogs is exactly how it's supposed to work.

7. I am self aware that Fish disappointed me, that am grieving for Millie, but that Fish is making me grow. I think you might want to examine why this piece -- when it so clearly concludes that Fish is in fact the right dog -- made you lose your mind.

8. This part of the comment is gibberish. Asked Fish and he doesn't understand it either.

9. No shit I adopted the right dog. That's what the whole piece is about.

10. With this level of anger and lack of reading comprehension, Fish and I are both hoping you don't have any dogs. Cats seem to be more your thing.