Charlie

What could happen when you pick up a stranger on a wet and windy night................................

 

Charlie

 

A short story or Essay

By

Jen-JG

 

It was wet and windy. The rain sleeted down so hard the windscreen wipers couldn’t work. Well, they did work but were worse than useless.

 

Peering through the sheet of water I struggled to see the side of the road. The worst pea soup fog imaginable would be a walk in the park compared to this!

 

Seeing a faint glow ahead from the service station I was heading for, I eased the car forward and crawled at a snail pace until I reached the turn off and pulled into a parking bay near the café entrance.

 

It was a relief not to drive any further and I was looking forward to my weekly treat of a fish and chip dinner.

 

The torrents of rain eased a little and I made a wild dash for the door, getting inside just as the skies opened again. It was warm inside, so I settled down to a hot coffee while my dinner was prepared. I almost gave in and ate there, because of the rain, but there was a movie I’d been waiting to see coming on TV tonight, so I asked for take away service and included a small hamburger well. I always seem to get extra hungry when the weather is cold and wet.

 

Luckily, by the time my dinner was ready the rain had eased to a trickle so I dashed to my car and prepared myself for the drive home. After switching on the headlights and putting the car into gear, I backed out of the car space and the headlights shone right on him. I slowed down and pulled to a halt beside him

 

He was leaning against the light pole and even from where I sat, I could see him shivering. His eyes met mine through the window and there was such pleading there that I felt compelled to open the door and invite him into the warmth of my car.

 

He was soaking wet and I wondered why he hadn’t got under shelter but then figured he’d probably just arrived as I hadn’t seen him when I pulled into the car space.

 

I grabbed a blanket from the back seat and wrapped it around him, then invited him to share my hot take away dinner. He was starving and polished of his share very quickly.

 

He looked so exhausted I decided to take him home with me, and he could decide what he would do in the morning. The weather was expected to be better then and he could move on if he wished, but meantime he’d be safe under cover and warm for the night.

 

Anyway, we dove home with no problems and I lit the gas heater while he explored my flat. I went into the kitchen to make a hot drink and when I came back he was settled in my old comfortable armchair. I usually sat there just because it was so comfortable. I didn’t suggest he move because he had fallen asleep and I didn’t want to disturb him.

 

I watched my movie and got ready for bed. He hadn’t stirred at all, so I pulled out a blanket to cover him with and after leaving the heater on low, went to bed.

 

I half expected to find him gone when I got up in the morning, but no, he was still there.

 

Charlie and I had our breakfast and as I had already decided to go exploring on my two days off, I invited him to come along with me. We did so many new things and saw so many different places together.

 

Charlie was so happy and so was I. So much so that I began dreading the moment he would leave. But it didn’t happen. He stayed with me. After a while he came into my room and sat on my bed. I just couldn’t refuse him, so from then that is where he slept. He was such good company and I suddenly realized that since bringing him home with me, I wasn’t lonely anymore.

 

We were together for several weeks when I noticed that Charlie was getting a bit plump, but then so was I, so we both went on a diet.

 

One day after work I got home later than usual and he wasn’t there. I called him but no answer. I searched all through the flat and couldn’t find him anywhere.

 

I was desolate! It had finally happened. Charlie had gone. He had left me. I was heartbroken, and never knew I had so many tears inside me. I cried so much and exhausted I finally fell asleep beside his plate. When I woke in the morning, just for a moment I though I heard him, but no, it was just the wind.

 

I couldn’t bear the thought of talking to anyone that day, so I took the day off work and stayed huddled into Charlie’s chair, and praying he would come back.

 

It was almost dinnertime when I heard his voice coming from our room, I rushed in and, there he was, lying in the middle of the bed. His voice was different, something was wrong! I hurried over reaching out to hold him when I saw ………..

 

…………….………… Oh my God, CHARLIE, what on earth……

 

Charlie, my darling Charlie was a MOTHER, --------- and to prove it there were five of the sweetest little kittens you ever saw snuggled up between his ---- um ---- sorry, her paws.

 

And do you know something, -- I am positive that Charlie winked at me.

 

©Copyright jen-JG 2005

Author's Note

Anything you'd like to say is fine --- any and all comments welcome...........

Reviews

[Ady]

I am sure that Charlie did wink. This story was absolutely brilliant, Jen. I always love reading your work.

[Lorraine Pearson]

LOL...I had Charlie figured for a dog...by the time he was settling in your chair!!!! The cool surprise was it was a feline friend with kittens, not that I am partial to kitties over puppies- LOL.... My son's "college" cat BRIAN just gave birth to six kittens! Kind of a similar story, but you've told it so eloquently. I truly enjoyed this one. Thank you for the smiles that accompanied this read!
~Lorraiyne

[Phil Sanders]

Brilliant ... brilliant ... brilliant .....what a wonderful ending .................

[Angel Bird]

A great story! You made quite a fool of me here :) ;) I laughed out loud. I really thought it was a man, ok a very strange and quiet one, but nonetheless a human man. If it had been a man it would have been a dangerous thing to take him home as a woman living alone.
I loved the story, because it kept my attention from the start to the great ending.
You're a wonderful writer! Thumb up!

[Kara Emily Krantz]

hahahhaah this is just fantastic. i really thought it was a dog at first.... so the cat thing was really a surprise. but i really liked how you made it so possible for this to be a human person.... and it really shows the reader how close an animal can be to beign that human comfort... sometimes even better than that human comfort.

"backed out of the car space and the headlights shone right on him. I slowed down and pulled to a halt beside him" - liked this introduction to the new character

"Charlie was so happy and so was I." - this line was just so simple, and so sweet. and it was just adorable, talking about how you were both getting plump, adn how you both went exploring. oh so cute. :) i really adored this piece. and the wink at the end was really cool.

thanks for sharing!! this is really wonderful :)

[None]

What a lovely story and you keep the reader wondering through it all. This is written so well and I adore all your descriptions and story telling style here. You kept me in suspense and I do love a happy story. You covered all my wants and needs in this and I'm saving this to favorites!

[PhoeniX]

wow , at first i thought it was a person you had picked up.
then i thought it was a dog that you had picked up
then i thought it was a male dog you had picked up.
then it turns out it was a cat you had picked up.
and then the cat turns out to be pregnant.
cute story!