A NOVEL – AGNES ON THE MOVE – CHAPTER 5 – BY LORELIE & TIM OLSON

I awakened the following morning by the splattering of water in the bathroom.  I’ve been forced to take a bath or two in my life, and I hated each one.  Jake said I’d gotten into something and stunk.  I don’t stink.  People cheerfully get into the shower and turn on this  waterfall of noise.  I think it’s rude when I’m still sleeping. I opened one eye just enough to watch the morning’s travel preparations.

“Billy, you stay in your sleeping bag until your dad is out of the shower.”

“But Mom, the floor is hard.”

 “You were both in  the same bed when I went to sleep.”

“David was kicking me.”

“I was not.”

“Well, if you two got along better, you wouldn’t have to take turns sleeping on the floor.  Jake?  Jake?  Aren’t you done in there?  I’ve got to get ready and I can’t do it out here.”

“Almost done, Honey.  A few more whiskers to get off.  Are the boys awake?”

“Billy is, of course; David’s waking up.”

“Mom, when will we be in Disneyland?”

Jake, still dripping wet, came out of the bathroom with a towel around his tummy and said to Billy, “One thing at a time, Billy.  Right now it’s time for you to roll up your sleeping bag, and do it the right way.  Be sure to use that new string I bought to keep it  rolled up.  We’ll be in Los Angeles tonight.”

“Is Disneyland in Los Angeles, Dad?”

Sitting bolt upright, David retorted, “Dummy, of course not.  Disneyland is in Anaheim.”  

“David, it’s time to get dressed and take Agnes out.  Honey, can you hurry up in there?  The boys do need to use the bathroom and I’d like to get underway.”

“Jake, I’ve only been in here two minutes and hurrying me won’t get us going any sooner.  Are the boys dressed?”

Now, if Jake were more like Carolyn, morning would be more to my fancy.  She likes to sleep in and knows how to prepare herself to meet the day.  Knowing that I didn’t have much longer, I sat up and began my morning stretch.  First I stretched my front paws way out in front of me, then I arched my back and rippled my spine.  David, who can be very thoughtful, put my kibbles right beneath my chair.  I sat on the edge of my chair looking down at them, and thought about cream and liver.  I jumped down, took a nibble; jumped back on my chair and settled down to clean my tummy.

“Agnes, why aren’t you eating?” Jake said..

“Dad?”

“Yes, David?”

 “Maybe she’s not  hungry.”

“You might be right.  The heat yesterday may have upset her appetite.   She goes off her food sometimes at home.  She’s not starving.”

Little did Jake know.

Carolyn called from the bathroom, “Billy, are you ready to  brush your teeth? I’m about done.  And David, you take Agnes out while Billy’s in the bathroom.”

“O.K. Mom.  Mom, Dad, there’s a hole in the screen and . . . “

“Grab Agnes before she gets out,” Jake yelled.

I continued contentedly to clean the spaces between my claws where I hadn’t been able to finish last night. Carolyn came out groomed to perfection.   She and I have that in common.  She went straight to the screen door.  “Jake, I told you I heard Agnes scratching at something last night.  It’s a wonder we didn’t lose her.”

Jake bent over and looked closely at the hole.  “Well, it clearly isn’t big enough yet, because  she’s here safe and sound.  But Agnes, I’m really mad at you, because now I’m going to have to pay to fix this screen door.”

I was tempted to squeeze through that hole so he could see how wrong he was; instead, I patiently allowed David to put my harness on and take me outside.  I still found it embarrassing.  Besides, I already knew where the good digging spots were.

Soon we were traveling again.  I snoozed in the front seat on Carolyn’s lap with  my nose close to the air vent, feeling luxurious in the heat of the sun with the incoming air flow cooling my coat.  When I had gotten quite comfortable, Carolyn picked me up, twisted around and deposited me in David’s lap.  She asked him to plop me into the rear compartment.  Her only excuse to Jake was, “ She makes my lap too hot.  She’ll be all right back there.  We can all open our windows a little more.”

I was all right, but certainly not as comfortable.  There were times when even Carolyn wan’t thoughtful of my needs.  After trying several places, I finally found a spot and went fast asleep.  After all, I’d been out last night and rolling along was getting boring.  My ears pricked up when I heard David, “What are we going to do with Agnes when we get to Disneyland?”

What a silly question.  David ought to be smarter than that.  Surely he knew what I intended to do.  Hadn’t I sat in his lap while he looked at the pictures of Disneyland?

Jake answered, “I’ve thought about it, and I’m not sure what we’re going to do with Agnes.”

I knew a problem when I heard one, so I put my paws over the back seat, put my head between Billy’s and David’s, and pricked up my ears to listen carefully.  It wasn’t easy to hear with all the big trucks roaring by us.

Billy chirped, “Let’s take her with us.  She’d have a wonderful time chasing Mickey Mouse.”

Sometimes Billy is wise beyond his years.  Billy and I like to have a good time.  I gave his neck a nuzzle to encourage him.

“Billy, don’t even suggest that,” Carolyn interrupted.  “Anyway, I’m sure they don’t allow pets in Disneyland.”

Don’t allow pets?  She can’t be right.  I’ve seen the pictures; a haunted house, a treehouse, jungles.  Could humans possibly make a paradise for cats and not let them in?

“We could leave her in the motel,” David suggested.

“That’s an idea, but I don’t think so, David.” Jake answered.  “It will probably be very hot.  We already know we can’t trust her with the windows open and only the screens to keep her inside.”

“Besides  the motel owners have people clean and change the sheets.  Agnes could easily escape when they come in,” Carolyn added. She stopped talking for a moment.  “Perhaps we could lock her in one room with the air conditioner on and tell the desk manager to keep the door closed.”

“I knew she’d wind up to be a hassle,” Jake went on.  “Well, we will have to solve the Agnes problem when we get there.  How can I think about her and drive in this traffic at the same time?  Besides have you noticed how dark it’s getting?”

“Dad, Mom,” David exclaimed from the back seat.

“David, don’t startle your dad when he’s driving in heavy traffic.”

“But Mom, I’ve found what to do with Agnes.”

“You have?” Jake responded.

“Yes, it’s right here in the brochure.  It says that pets are not allowed, but they have a kennel club at the entrance where pets can be left.  Here Mom, you can read it.”

“Jake, it does! They’ve thought of everything.  Disneyland even has pet care.”

“Would you all be quiet about that cat and help me drive?  Our turnoff is coming up, and I can’t see a thing, even with the headlights on.”

Lightning crackled across the sky, and thunder loudly clapped after that.  I opened my eyes as wide as I could.  Black clouds were right above us.  The rain began to pound the roof.  Cars and trucks dashed by throwing sheets of water at us. Carolyn leaned forward in her seat to see the passing exit signs.  “Jake, our turnoff to Anaheim is the second one on the right.  One mile.  And Jake?”

“I can’t see anything Carolyn, anything!”

“I think you could see better if you took off your sunglasses.”

“My what?”

“YOUR SUNGLASSES!  You haven’t taken them off since the sun disappeared.”

“See what happens when all of you distract me?”

Billy bounced in his seat.  “Can we go to Disneyland tonight?”  Can we?  Disneyland, here I come.”

Jake and Carolyn answered together, “No, we’ll get a night’s sleep and start bright and early in the morning.” 

“How early? When does Disneyland open?  We need to be there before it opens, don’t we.”

By the time we reached the motel, the downpour was over.  While the Rasmussens unloaded, I was shut up in the bathroom.  Finding a towel within reach, I pulled it down and curled up on it.  I didn’t go to sleep though; I had too much planning to do.  Me? Caged outside Disneyland while that Mickey Mouse roamed free?  Ha!