So, Wednesday morning, the 19th of September, 2007, the phone rings. It was Charlene from the vet's office. She meant to talk to me the day before when I had Georgie in, but she was busy in the back.

So, she was wondering.

See, there's this cat that she took in. . . .

Of course, it needs a home. She tells me the story. I listen. I tell her "I'll have to talk to Brian about it". I don't call him. I wait for him to get home. The more I think about this cat's story, the more I think he needs to come here. By the time Brian gets home, I've made up my mind. I know he belongs here.

Brian gets home before five. He heads to the bedroom, then to the throne room. Where he's kinda sorta at my mercy. I lay on the bed.

"Honey, don't get mad. "

"What?"

"Well, Charlene from the vet's office called this morning and there's this cat. . . . "

"No. "

"But, honey. . . "

"No. We don't need another cat right now. We can't have another cat right now. "

"But can't I at least tell you his story?"

"I can't stop you. "

So, I tell him his story.

Charlene's sister is a hairdresser. She did this old woman's hair. Well, this old woman got pretty sick, cancer one of the problems she had. She was in and out of the hospital. The thing was, she had gotten a kitten, who was now about a year and a half old. But the kitten wasn't getting fed on a regular basis. I guess no one was taking care of this guy. Because he wasn't used to humans, he was pretty skittish around people. Not really affectionate, not loveable. Charlene told her sister the situation was unacceptable and that she wanted the cat.

Charlene's sister got the cat and gave him to Charlene. This was back in July. Well, Charlene's male cat and Charlene's dog got along with Charlie, but her female cat hated him. She'd beat him up every chance she got, even though he just wanted to play. Charlie was put on Buspar, but this really wasn't a good life for him. And Charlene was worried about her female cat, how it was affecting her.

Charlie needed a new home. But not just any home. Because of his standoffishness with humans, she was afraid that if just anyone took him in, if they weren't happy with him, that they'd put him outside. And that wasn't going to happen. If nothing else, she'd keep him, but he'd be on drugs.

After I told this to Brian, he didn't say anything. So I asked "is your answer still ‘no'?" He said "do whatever you want". Which meant "yes".

I called the vet's office and Charlene had already left for the day. I asked for her phone number (I know she lives fairly close by). I called her and told her he had a home, did she want to bring him over? He was staying at the vet's. She had to go back there and get him. She didn't ask for my address, she remembered where I lived from when she trapped Cleo so many years ago.

Within a half hour, the doorbell rings. It was her. She had a box carrier and inside was Charlie. I told her to just open it up (I'd shut all the sliding doors and the garage door, and set the catdoor to in and out). She opened it up. Out jumped this really pretty white cat with black splotches. She said that his owner lived her in Lakeside. He looks like he could be a sibling to Rory and Ronnie. And the age is right. I'm curious about this.

Anyway, without further ado, here's the new boy. The first two pictures were taken last Wednesday, the other two were taken this morning. He was pretty funny the first couple of days, he ran through the house, the other cats ignored him for the most part and he just hissed where ever he ran. It was entertaining. He loves to go outside and he bounds through the grass. Looks more like some sort of deer than a cat.

With Ronnie and Rachel - click for a larger pic

Under the bed - click for a larger pic

On the patio - click for a larger pic

Sweet face boy - click for a larger pic