CHARLIE'S
AUTOBIOGRAPHY
CHAPTER FOUR
The big human handed me back to the female human and she put me back in the cage . I must say, I was sure glad to get back into that cage. The big human smiled and said,"I'll take him." "Well, said the female human,"we will have to see if you qualify for adoption first. Then we can talk about adoption".
I did't know what they were talking about but when that big human left, I breathed a big sigh of relief. I don't know what it was, but something about him put me on edge a little. But that experience was over, so I laid down in the back of my cage and tried to go to sleep.
I remember thinking," I sure hope Mama hurries to get us." I was getting a little nervous and I could hear Sophie crying in the next cage. I knew that Sophie had to get a hold of herself or she would never make it.
Just as I started to tell Sophie not to cry and that everything would be all right, another female human came rushing into the room and came straight to my cage. Before I knew what was happening, she threw open my cage and pulled me out of the cage. She was wearing these long gloves that came up to her elbows and they smelled kind of strange.
I tried to turn and yell to Sophie that everything would be okay , but I was too late. As I turned and looked back, Sophie was in the back of her cage, curled up in a ball, sobbing her eyes out. I didn't realize it at the time, but that was the last time I would see Sophie.
The female human took me into a large room with several humans in it. They all came over to me and started talking to each other. They were saying that I might give them some trouble, so be ready. I didn't know what they were talking about. I never tried to give anyone any trouble.
They then said something about a dip and they all grabbed me. They put me into a large container of foul smelling liquid and some got into my mouth. I thought I was going to throw up. But I didn't. Then they took me out and put me on a table and let me stand there for a few minutes. They held me and did not let me shake that awful stuff off of my fur.
Then they began to shampoo me. There were so many of them that it didn't take too long. Then they were drying me with a towel. Then they brought out a blow dryer. Now there is nothing on earth I dislike more than a blow dryer, except a vacuum cleaner.
But there were so many of them that I was afraid to move. So I just closed my eyes and tried to be brave. It was hard to be brave now that I knew Sophie wasn't nearby any longer. In about a minute I was dry. I have very thin hair.
Then a male human came over to me and said something like: "This is going to hurt a little bit, big cat, but they will be able to identify you if you ever get lost." Why would I get lost? I'm an inside cat. I don't even like going outside! Then the human stuck a huge needle into the back of my neck. It hurt soooo bad.
I had been brave long enough. I was so scared and the needle was the last straw. I let all of my emotions go in one very loud yelp. It was so loud that I must have scared all of the humans holding me. They all began to say, "That's okay boy", "it's going to be all right," "it will be all over in just a minute". What they were telling me did not make me feel any better, but a soon as the male human took the needle out of me , the pain stopped.
Now I felt exausted. I was very scared, and shaking like a leaf. I guess this was the condition that the humans wanted me in because they kept saying" Good boy, good boy." It is hard to remember too much of what happened next. They put me in a small box and closed the top. I was carried from place to place. I heard voices. I was so tired. All I wanted to do was go to sleep.
The next thing I remember was that I was riding in a car. I heard voices but I could not recognize anyone. I began to get scared again. Where was I ? Where was I going ? How was Mama going to find me ? Boy was she going to be mad. I feel sorry for these humans when Mama catches up with them.
Then I began to realize that I could not hear Sophie. I tried to pick up her scent, but I couldn't. For the first time since yesterday morning, I felt totally alone. The thought overwhelmed me. I broke down and started crying.
I heard a voice saying "Don't cry, Charlie. Everything is going to be all right." I knew that voice. It was the big male human. My worst nightmare was coming true. I started crying and sobbing uncontrollably.
"Are you ready for chapter five?"