One of my favorite Podcastles. Edward Lear's art is as old a friend to me as his poetry, and as soon as I heard Old Foss's name in the title I was hoping for something equally dear and whimsical, ungainly and wonderful. This story delivered, and Graeme's bittersweet reading was perfect.
One thing bothered me, though: Except for Foss, the focus of Lear's most cherished relationship -- the one he pined for like the artist pined for the Jumbly girl -- was another man. I know the artist in this story isn't supposed to match Lear in every respect, but I've seen enough queer historical figures de-queered in fiction to feel a little sad that this aspect of a very unconventional man was changed to something more conventional, expected, acceptable, both in his own time and ours.
Oh, I did love the ending for the Jumbly girl, though, surrounded by the comfort and consolation of the other Jumblies. And Foss's line about always being the old man's friend had me in tears even before the end, and I'm tearing up again typing this, dammit.
If ever a story could be worthy of a cat (though I doubt most cats would allow for that possibility), this is it.