Chapter 105

<Do too.> He pawed his license tag ... well ... He used one claw ... I’m supposed to say he ‘fingered it?’

“That’s your license for continued existence ... not to drive.”

<Continued exist ... you mean?>

“Animal Control might decide you’re too big to mess with.” I pointed at him with my hand gun ... not handgun. Index finger and thumb cocked ... pretend recoil. Raul was shocked.

<Really?>

“Uh huh.”

<Too big to mess with ... like a Wild animal?>

I nodded.

<SHOOT ME?>

He moved to the passenger seat and put a paw on the electric window switch. Pretty soon we were on the 969 headed for Ice Cream. Raul had his head stuck out the window ... just like a...

<Don’t say it.>

... Dog.

And we drove past an Animal Control pickup. There were two more Control trucks parked on the side of the road with their lights flashing.

The Officers were in the process of wrangling a captured coyote into a cage. The officers had the animal stopped using Ketch-All Catch Poles.

“Wanna ask?”

I didn’t give him a chance. I pulled in front of the white 350 Ford dually with the cages on the back ... and stopped.

I dismounted ... Raul dismounted...

We were noticed.

“What is that?” asked the fella wearing Sergeant stripes.

“Cat ... name’s Raul.” I do have to admit ... even for a Savannah ... Raul is a big one

“Raul ... big cat ... You got a license for that cat?”

“Yessir.”

“Well ... just wait until we get this rabid coyote locked up. I’ll need to see its documentation too.”

“Documentation?”

<How many generations in captivity ... both tom and queen ... dad and mom.>

“I don’t have that.”

“Don’t have what?” said the officer.

<I do>

“Don’t. Have. What.” said the officer

“Documentation ... but Raul says he does.” I replied.

<Tell him it’s on my chip.>

“It’s on his chip.”

“I didn’t know you were chipped.” That was to Raul.

“Me too.” That was for Raul ... but the cop said, “You too, what?”

“Chipped,” I said. “When I was born.”

While this conversation was going on the officer was multi-tasking ... the rabid animal was finally in the cage. When the cage door slammed shut and the neck loops released, the coyote went absolutely crazy. He was shedding teeth as fast as he could bite the wire cage. Even as the cage cover was fastened down the coyote doing his damnedest to get away.

“Chipped? You gonna follow me or do you want me to cage him?”

“Follow. Load up Raul.”

FM969 to the 183 ... that’s not as easy as it sounds ... the off ramp is under construction ... we had to drive west past the church ... make a U-turn in the church parking lot and head east on the 969 to the off ramp south. It’s a ways ... then off 183 to Levander ... follow Levander to the Charging Station ... turn right and there it is ... Austin Animal Center ... Animal Control head office.

Sure enough ... all of Raul’s antecedence were listed on his chip. His ancestry past was ‘checkered,’ but ... he was descended from the first mating and ‘has been in captivity ‘ for nine generations. ‘No longer a menace to society.’

The computer tech reading the chip started typing.

I was instantly interested, “What are you doing?”

“Changing the chip,” she said. “I was at the ‘Rocky’. Raul impressed me, He is no longer registered as a Savannah.”

“Well then, what is he?”

“Domestic House Cat. Indeterminate breed.” She sealed the chip electronically. “Now ... I want to read yours.”

“Really?”

“Really,” she passed the wand over my body.

“Found it.”