3 Cats and a Boy

 by: Miguel Sanchez

© 2005-2008 by the author

The author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed without the author's consent. Comments are appreciated at...

I put a piece in my hand then held it out flat. Using her rough tongue, she licked it right out of my hand. I slid the bowl over closer so she could eat. As she reached out to pick up a piece of meat, the sleeping child stirred then sat upright. It took him a few seconds to focus then he appeared to get scared. “Who are you?”

Chapter 2

Chaka heard the boy talk then softly growled at me. I gently rubbed her head and scratched her ear. “Easy girl, it’s alright. No one is going to hurt him.”

Just then Sultan came in and saw the boy awake. I watched as he went over and smelled him then went over and stretched out. Tigers are not normally social cats unlike lions that form large prides. The male will never have anything to do with the female once they’ve mated. In captivity however, their behavior is different. When I was at Dreamworld, I watched as the male got to know his 4 off springs.

I looked over at the boy and he didn’t seem as scared as he first was. For the life of me I could not figure out how he got onto the property then managed to get in with the cats. “My name is Mike Hollander, I live here. How did you manage to get in here?”

The boy just sat there for a few minutes as if he were scared to talk. “I walked here. My parents and I were on our way to Dad’s new job assignment. We stopped at a rest area and had something to eat and there was another family there. They had a boy my age so we just started talking. After we ate, the boy and I had to go to the bathroom. When we got back out, the boy’s dad told me my parents would be right back and to wait for them. He was kind enough to wait there with me for a little while but eventually, he and his son had to get going.”

Now, I remembered where the highway was as well as that particular rest area. It was a good five miles or so from here to the rest area. “How long did you wait after the man and his boy left?”

I could see him thinking. “Umm, it must have been an hour, maybe a little more. The man had stayed with me for at least 90 minutes before he had to leave. The sun was starting to go down a little so I decided to try and find someplace to stay so I could rest. I started walking and I saw your place. I managed to climb over the gate but on the way down I lost my footing and fell. I must have knocked the wind out of me and the next thing I remember was being in here.”

Judging by the way Chaka was doting over him, it was her who found the boy. I couldn’t imagine her picking the boy up in her mouth as she would a cub. “Would you like to come inside and have something to eat and drink? You must be famished son.”

“Yu you’re not m mad I’m here?” the boy quietly stuttered.

I shook my head. “Oh heavens no man, I’m just glad you’re alright. Other than being dirty, smelling like Rajah and being hungry, you don’t seem any worse for wear. Come on and follow me.”

I watched the boy crawl over Chaka then I moved past Sultan towards the door. I pushed on the door and it wouldn’t budge. I knew who was against it as at this time of the day; there was a nice area of shade in front of their shelter. “Rajah, move your furry butt.”

The hard headed cat wouldn’t move so I pulled the door inwards and proceeded to climb over him. I stood up and looked at him and he just gave me an indignant look then stretched back out. The boy started to crawl out then his highness decided he was going to move. Rajah turned around and looked at me as if to say, “You’re not helpless.”

When I looked at him in the daylight, I was a little worried. He stood about 5’4” but was very thin. His clothes were filthy and his legs were covered in so much dirt they looked almost black. I knew the first thing he would need was a good bath. His clothes didn’t look too bad, other than needing a good washing. I held my arm out and he came over then we left the caged enclosure. “I don’t know what I have to fit you son, but I have an extra bathrobe you can wear while I wash your clothes. By the way, what’s your name?”

When I asked that he froze in his tracks. “Are you gonna call the cops on me?”

I shook my head. “Nope, not unless you want me to but I do need something to call you.”

I could see him mulling that over in his mind. “I guess you’re right. My name is Caleb, Caleb Myers and before you ask, I’m 15 even though I don’t look it.”

He was right about not looking 15. I really couldn’t tell much because of all the dirt from the enclosure but if I were to guess, I would have put him at between 13 and 14. I walked over to the quad and climbed on. “Hop on kiddo, next stop is the garage.”

I started it up then felt Caleb wrap his arms around me. I took off and all the way I could hear him giggling. I pulled inside the garage and shut the engine off. “Man that was fun. I’d love to have one like that some day.”

My next dilemma was how to get him into the house without bringing all that dirt in. I had an idea but I didn’t know how he would feel stripping but I wasn’t going to try and force that on him. I closed the big door down then headed for the side door and the house. Caleb followed me and when I got to the door, I reached down and picked him up then pulled his shoes off. I think that surprised him but as we headed inside, his head started turning around looking at everything. “Wow, this place is something else.”

On the first floor, there were 3 bedrooms; my master suite and two smaller ones with an adjoining bathroom. I carried him into the 2^nd bedroom and to the bathroom. “I’ll bring you my shampoo and a bathrobe. If you’ll toss your clothes out here, I’ll get them in the laundry. The shower has a sliding door on it with frosted glass so you’ll have your privacy. You can start the water going while I get you your things.”

I started to turn to leave when I heard him cough. I turned to look at him and he was deep in thought. “Um Mike, what do you do here? I know you have the tigers but I mean do you have a job?”

I held up a finger telling him I’d be right back then dashed into my room to get him the things he needed. I set them on the vanity then turned towards the door. “Yes Caleb, I do work. I work from here. I have a small veterinary practice.”

I wasn’t paying attention to him but by the time I’d finished talking Caleb was standing there in his underpants. I set the clothes on the floor then got the shower going for him. I turned around then I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned and he was holding his underwear. He quickly got into the shower and started washing.

I took his clothes to the laundry room and got them soaking. When I heard the shower cut off, I started the machine. The bathrobe I got for him was about 5 sizes too big for him. “Mike, this is nice but I’m afraid I’m going to trip and fall.”

I thought for a moment then remembered something my grandfather used to do. I took Caleb by the hand and led him into my room. I went into my dresser and pulled out one of the biggest tee shirts I could find. “Here you go, it will cover all the necessities and I don’t think you’ll be tripping.”

He dropped the bathrobe then pulled the tee shirt on. What I saw of him naked had me a little worried. At 15, he should have been farther along with puberty than he was. He looked really under weight but I could solve that problem. I guess he and I were going to have to have a talk about his health issues.

I was about to head out to the kitchen when I felt Caleb’s hand in mine. I stopped and he lifted his arms up. I picked him up like I did when we came in but this time he rested his head on my shoulder. “Hungry little man?”

He didn’t speak but I felt him nod his head against my shoulder. When we arrived in the kitchen, I set him in a chair while I went about rounding up some food for a hungry 15 year old boy. I found some ham, cheese and a few other cold cuts and set them on the table. Next I got the condiments and bread out then poured him a big glass of milk. We each fixed a sandwich but I was only half done with mine when Caleb was busy making another. He took a big bite of his second sandwich then looked at me. He chewed it then washed it down with some milk. “Do vets know anything about people medicine?”

When he asked me that question, he broke out into a huge smile that totally captivated me. I find children with braces to be absolutely adorable and Caleb was just that. “We know some about people. I needed an extra class so I took human anatomy and physiology. So to answer your question, I do know a little something. Is there a problem?”

He took another bite of his sandwich then got lost in thought. I was wondering if he might be reluctant to speak now. “Umm, well there is, sorta. It’s well, I’m not growing like other boys.”

I finished my sandwich then drank the rest of my milk. “Well son, height varies but that’s mostly genetic. What I mean is if both your parents were short, you might be also.”

He shook his head. “Umm, that’s not quite what I meant.”

I could see him turning red so now I understood the full meaning of his question. I decided to try and take the lead here. “Son, I couldn’t help but see you the two times you were naked. Are you referring to your penis?”

He blushed again. “Umm no. I mean I’ve seen boys my age in the showers at school and they have more hair down there. I don’t even have anything under my arms yet.”

Now when I was his age, I finally got my first hairs under my arms so that I wasn’t too concerned about. I was about to speak when he got up and stood in front of me lifting the tee shirt. I looked at him and he was what I would consider to be a late bloomer. There was 1 question I felt needed to be answered but I was almost certain this would really embarrass him. I looked closely and his balls had dropped so I was pretty sure they were working. “Umm Caleb, I do have 1 question to ask and it’s super personal but it’s also important.”

He lowered the tee shirt then looked at me. “OK, what is it?”

I tried to sugar coat it but there was no easy way. “Well, are you making sperm yet?”

Now I was really red faced as asking him that but all he did was giggle. “Oh yeah Mike, I’ve been shooting for almost a year now.”

I relaxed after he smiled while answering my question. I got my next surprise when he hopped up on my lap. He snuggled up and got comfortable. I heard the washing machine stop but when I looked at Caleb, he was fast asleep.

I got up and carried Caleb into the 2^nd bedroom then went and put his laundry into the dryer. I heard the bell on the door I’d hooked up to the vet’s office so I would know if someone came in. I went into the office and there was a woman with a young kitten. I had her fill out the registration form then took her and the kitten into an exam room. After a discussion with the owner and a quick exam of the kitten I found it to have kennel cough. Dogs get it when sheltered with other animals and cats can get a form of it too. I gave it an injection of antibiotics then gave her some pills to continue at home.

I put the closed sign up then locked the door. I got myself a cold drink then went outside by the pool and sat down. I was about to get comfortable when I heard the cats growl. I went to see what was going on and they were letting me know they wanted out for some exercise. I went back to my lounger and started to think about what I was getting into having Caleb here.

Since girls weren’t on my diet, having children seemed pretty much a non issue. When I was in North Carolina, the vet I worked with was married and I’d been a guest at his house numerous times and he had 3 kids. I enjoyed being around them and I guess deep inside I did want to be a parent someday.

Sitting there going over what Caleb told me about what his parents did to him was astonishing. How could parents just take off and leave their child? Big cats put their cubs first above all else, even their own lives. I knew I would have to talk with him about this but I didn’t have a clue as to how to bring it up. The last thing I wanted him to feel was that I didn’t want him. Knowing his tin grin was in the other room was something to look forward to. I was lost in thought when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked over and there was Caleb with a smile on his face and a little tent under the tee shirt. He glanced down then turned red. “I’m sorry Mike, it gets like that sometimes.”

I reached around and scooped him up setting him on my lap. “Don’t worry about it kiddo. It happens to every male.”

I reached down and took my hand and started tickling him. He squealed with delight and laughter. This went on for a couple minutes then we had company. Chaka and Raj were standing there and their tails were really swishing. Caleb got his breath back then looked at me. “I think you have your own protection squad.”

He hopped off my lap then started petting the big cats. Rajah started smelling him then his nose touched Caleb’s knee causing him to jump a little. When he jumped his tee shirt lifted up and Caleb fell forward causing Raj’s nose to find his crotch. “Wow, back boy, that’s mine.”

I busted out laughing. “I guess he wanted to see what a human one was like.”

Caleb knelt down in from of Raj. “That’s mine boy, I don’t wanna look at yours.”

Raj seemed to understand what he was saying as he backed up. “Come on kiddo, your clothes should be dry by now. Tomorrow I think we need to get you a few more things to wear. Going nude isn’t an option although the closest neighbor wouldn’t be able to see you and you can’t wash and wear the same outfit everyday.”

Caleb giggled at my going nude. “After what Raj did, I don’t think I wanna be naked around him.”

I think that was really more an accident than anything else. Caleb was staring out at the open area that made up much of the property but I could also tell he was lost in thought. I quietly stood up putting my hand on his shoulder as I stood behind him. He just stood there for several minutes then looked up at me. I thought he’d have his metal smile on his face but instead tears were streaming down his face. “What’s wrong Caleb?”

I was really thinking he was missing his family. He’d been gone 48 hours but this was something totally different than going away to camp or to a friend’s for a sleepover. He dropped his head then started shaking it. I gently turned him around while kneeling down at the same time. He threw his arms around my shoulders letting out the saddest cry I’d ever heard. “Why Mike, why would they just leave me like that?”

Now the door was open to sit and ask some questions. I knew I would have to ask some hard ones but I didn’t want him thinking I was prying either. “I don’t know son, maybe we can figure it out.”

He threw he legs around my waist and I quickly had to support his butt or else risk dropping him. It was at that point I remembered he just had on the tee shirt. As I was heading inside, he lifted his head off my shoulder and looked me in the eye. “How can we figure it out?”

I set him down so I could retrieve his clothes. “Well, maybe if you tell me a little about you and your family, maybe that could help.”

He pulled off the tee shirt then pulled his shorts on forgetting about his underwear. We walked into the kitchen and pulled out a couple of soft drinks before heading into the living room. I sat down on the sofa and I could see him lost in thought as he came and sat beside me. “What would you like to know about my family?”

I thought back to what he’d told me inside the cat’s shelter. “You said you all were on your way to a new town so your Dad could start a new job. What happened to his old one?”

Caleb had a little distant look on his face when I asked that question. “Well, first off, he’s not my Dad. He’s my step Dad and before you ask, he’s OK. He cares for me but, I dunno, there are times when I’ve really wanted to sit and talk with him about things but it was like I was interrupting something.”

I was curious now. “What did you need to talk with him about? School work, sports, girls?”

He turned as red as the shorts he had on. “Umm, no definitely not girls Mike. I wanted to talk to him about me. You know, why I’m not growing where I should be.”

I digested that bit of information then he threw a question at me. “Mike, how come with this huge house there is no Mrs. Hollander?”

If I wanted him to open up to me, I guess I had to do the same with him. “Well Caleb, I just don’t look at girls the same way other guys do. I had a number of friends who were female but as for dating, I wasn’t attracted to them.”

I could tell all that information sinking in and I was wondering if he’d be up and out the door. “Oh, so I guess that means you’re gay.”

He had this little twinkle in his eye when he asked that. “Yeah, I guess it does. When I was a little younger than you, I realized girls did nothing for me but there were a few boys I saw when I was in gym class that really got my motor running. In college, I had a few flings but I was too into my studies. Does this bother you?”

He thought for a minute then he broke out into that full metal smile of his. “Oh hell no.”

He slapped his hand across his mouth as I busted out laughing. “It’s OK kiddo, we all slip every once in a while. So, then are you gay too?”

He was giggling through his hand as he nodded his head. “Yeah, I’ve liked guys for a number of years now.”

“Do your parents know this?”

He shook his head. “Oh god no, they’d kill me.”

Just then a look of pure horror came across his face. It was if that statement was something he knew he should not have said. “What is it Caleb?”

He looked like a deer caught in someone’s headlights. He was looking around for somewhere to go but couldn’t decide what to do. Finally he threw himself against my chest then started crying again. I wrapped him in my arms as I reached up and gently rubbed his head as I cooed softly in his ear. I don’t know how long I held him but when I looked up, I had all three cats staring at me. Chaka slowly walked over and using her nose, pushed against Caleb’s arm. He turned his head and saw her. “I’m fine girl,” he said softly rubbing her head. “I’m just remembering some things and it’s a little scary.”

I took his head in my hands and gently kissed him on the forehead. “No matter what it is kiddo, no one will hurt you here. I can see something has you worried but we will work it out together. I give you my word on it.”

He fell into my arms again and just stayed there for the longest time. I hated to break the moment but Rajah’s dinner alarm was going off and he was letting us know it. “Umm Mike, I think they want us to move.”

I nodded my head as Caleb got off my lap. We went and fed the cats then I got dinner going for us humans.

To be continued...

Posted: 07/11/08