___ story

SOB

Think of a tearful exclamation that might follow a sad or emotional tale, often heard in old movies.

This clue plays on the phrase "sob story," which means a sad or overly emotional tale meant to gain sympathy. The blank suggests you're looking for a word that fits before "story," and "sob" is the natural choice. It’s a straightforward fill-in-the-blank with a common expression, so no tricky wordplay—just recognizing the familiar idiom.