The last chapter of "A Home for Bandit"

Chapter 7: Bandit Again

  That some one was Susie! She was nineteen now and had moved out of her parent’s house! The first pet that she wanted was, of course, a ferret.
  Almost as soon as she saw him Susie recognized him! She wanted him immediately. “How did you end up here?” she asked. If only ferrets could talk, Susie thought, this one would have a story to tell!
  But being able to take Slink home wasn’t as easy as she had thought. Susie had to complete a form saying that she knew how to care for a ferret, had a good veterinarian that would treat ferrets, and information about pet sitters, ferret food, and out of cage time.
  Susie was very worried that some one else would adopt Slink before they were done with her! Now that she knew that she could have him, he was the only ferret that she wanted.
  Finally she could take Slink home. She had to pay fifty dollars for him. This was much cheaper then he had been as a kit. The price for him then was one hundred twenty five dollars (plus tax).
  Only a few days after she had found Slink at the pet store, Susie was driving him to his new home. She had tunnels, and a house he could roam all over, and a leash to take him for walks! Susie also had a huge cage that she had built for him. It had every thing a ferret could want! There were ramps to climb on and lots of toys. There was even a big hammock for him!
  Now Slink was in a carrier in the front seat of Susie’s car. Even though he hated car trips, Slink was happy. Unlike the time when he had driven home with Billy or with Pete, Slink was going somewhere where he could stay for the rest of his life! But Bandit didn’t know this. He was just happy that he was going home with Susie!
  Susie talked to him as she drove. She told him about her new life on her own, and about his new big cage (which the ferret didn’t understand.)
  Then she turned to look at her new pet. “Your name is not Slink anymore.” She said. “Now you are Bandit again!”

The End

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A Home For Bandit: Chapter Six

                                        Chapter 6: The Shelter
Coony was placed in a small cage. The cages next to him also housed ferrets. The cages were all the same. Each one held a bed (not a hammock, as Coony noticed to his chagrin), a water bottle, and some food. There were no toys.
  He could hear dogs barking. A kitten cried loudly. A parrot screeched.
  The animals such as ferrets, birds, and hamsters were rarely let out of their cages. Most of the volunteers wanted to help the dogs and cats and play with them. A little ferret was deemed much less important.
  Coony had gotten into the habit of chewing on the cage bars. He was so bored! A ferret is just not meant for life in a cage all day! 
  One day someone came with a bag! There were toys for all different animals, including ferrets! Now finally he had something to play with!
  But toys were not enough for the ferret! “Slink” as the workers had named him, wanted human affection and attention! At least in the pet store Susie had taken him out and played when him when she could. Have different things would be if she had taken him home instead!
  A normal day for Slink consisted of waking up, eating drinking, playing a little bit and taking a nap. Then he would do it all over again.
  At Billy’s house there had been tunnels to run through! At Pete’s house he could run freely around the house! At Sarah’s house he had gone for lots of walks! But now there were none of those things. He did not even have a hammock.
  People came to look at him. Slink would get very excited thinking they were going to take him out and play with him. But that never happened. One of the ferrets in the cage on his left was adopted. The next day another was there to take its place.
  The Chihuahua puppy across was taken away too. A tortoise shell kitten took up residence in that cage.
  Then, after Slink had been in the shelter for two long months, he saw some one that he knew!

A Home For Bandit: Chapter Five

                        Chapter 5: Help

  One evening, a girl was taking a leisurely stroll through the park. She walked along a trail in the woods. When she got to the playground, she decided to swing for a while.
  She had no pets, but she knew all about them. That is why, when she saw String Bean crawl out of his favorite slide, she knew precisely what he was.
  She jumped off the swing, ran up to the ferret, and lifted him up. She then walked back home with String Bean.
  “What is this!” screamed the mother of the girl. “Sarah! Is that a ferret!” “Yes, Mom, I found him all alone in the woods. His name is Coony because he has a strip of black over his eyes like a raccoon. See?” “He’s so covered in mud he looks black all over!”
  Just then the girl’s father came out to see why his wife was yelling. The child explained where she had found the ferret. Her mother said that they should take it to the animal shelter in town. “No! They’ll kill him there!” cried Sarah. “Why don’t we keep him for a month and try to find some one to take him? If we can’t find anyone, then we can take him to the shelter.” Proposed Sarah’s father.
  This seemed a satisfactory arraignment for all involved. Sarah immediately bought some things for Coony at a nearby pet store. She bought a small cage, some ferret food, some pet shampoo, and several other things. Then she commenced the first bath the ferret had had for a long time. She brushed him until he was the beautiful, clean ferret that he had once been.
  Sarah played with Coony until she had to go in and get ready for bed. “The ferret sleeps outside!” said Sarah’s mother. She muttered some things about ferrets being dirty, smelly, ferocious animals.
  Sarah locked Coony in the small cage outside. Coony thought that this was much better than living outside and having to find his own food and water. And he had his own little hammock.

The ferret looked around Sarah's yard

  Like Billy had done at first, Sarah spent all of her spare time with Coony. She even persuaded her father to hold him. Sarah’s mother was starting to lose her fear of ferrets, and one time she even petted Coony. “He is sort of friendly…” the woman had said.
  Sarah posted “Found: Ferret” signs all around town. She took the ferret for walks around her neighborhood hoping that someone would recognize Coony. No one did. Then as time grew short, Sarah began offering Coony to all her friends. No one wanted Coony.
  Sarah tried not to think about bringing Coony to the animal shelter. She loved Coony so much and would miss him greatly. 
  Then the last day Coony was to live with them came. Sarah was just as sad as she knew she would be. When she got to the shelter she saw a sign saying that it was a “No-Kill” shelter. She was overjoyed at this. She had thought that Coony would be killed after a short while at the shelter.
  Sarah wanted a ferret even more then ever. But her mother seemed relentless. “If you want a pet, you can have a guinea pig.” She said.
  Sarah left the animal shelter with a guinea pig. She could keep it in the cage she used for the ferret.
  Sarah loved the guinea pig, but sweet as it was, it could never replace Coony. It was still seven years before she could move out and get a ferret of her own. She knew what kind she was going to get when the time came. It would look just like Coony…
 

A Home For Bandit: Chapter Four

Chapter 4: Life in the Wild
  At first String Bean was having a wonderful time. He could run outdoors! There was no collar or leash to stop him! He was free!
  There was a playground at the park and String Bean was able to climb up one of the slides. He chased rabbits around in the woods, but he never could catch any. The woods where a delightful place for a ferret to explore. Soon he got tired and curled up in one of the covered slides.
  The next day, the little ferret was hungry and thirsty. He missed his comfortable cage and his hammock. Most of all he missed Pete and Jojo. 

Bandit loved exploring the park.

  Every one who had ever loved String Bean was gone: Susie, Billy, Billy’s Mother, Billy’s father, Pete, and Jojo.
  Ferrets are not wild animals. They have been domesticated for many years. They are pets that cannot survive in the wild.
  String Bean had never eaten anything but the pellets and treats his owners had fed him. His only water had come out of a bottle in his cage.
  Once, a family had come to the park. They went for a hike in the woods. “What is that?” a small child asked, pointing to String Bean. “It is a weasel, or a skunk.” The child’s father replied. “Stay away from it!” cried the mother, and they all hurried on their way.
Another time, a girl had slid down the slide where String Bean was taking a nap. At the bottom she slid right into the ferret! She climbed back up the slide as quickly as she could, screaming as she did so.
  The terrified ferret bolted out of the slide. The girl’s mother saw String Bean and she screamed. Then they both ran away from the playground.
  String Bean didn’t understand why they had run from him. Nearly everyone else had picked him up and talked lovingly to him.
  Now String Bean was dirty and smelly. He seemed more like a wild animal then ever. Everyone at the park who saw him, thought he was some sort of wild creature.
  Someone needed to find String Bean, or else he would die at the park.

A Home For Bandit: Chapter Three

              Chapter 3: Pete’s House

Pete's apartment was so fun to explore!

  At first Squiggly (renamed String Bean) was scared. But Pete was so kind to him that eventually he loved Pete just as he had loved Billy.
  Pete lived in a small apartment. There were only four rooms. String Bean found lots of fun things to play with and Pete didn’t even seem be angry when the ferret chewed his newest issue of ’Cycler City. As a matter of fact, Pete was mad because he had wanted to tape the motorcycle poster to his wall. But he didn’t hit String Bean or yell at him.
 
  Pete just loved String Bean. In fact, Pete couldn’t have loved him more if String Bean had been he only companion. But the ferret was not Pete’s only friend.
  Soon after String Bean’s arrival, someone else arrived. An attractive young woman rang the back doorbell. When she went inside, Pete began to speak to her. “Hey, Jojo! You’ve got to see String Bean!” “Why are you so excited about me seeing some legumes?” Jojo said confusedly. “No, no, String Bean is my ferret!”
  Jojo and Pete walked into Pete’s living room. They popped a DVD into the DVD player. They ate supper as they watched the movie. After the movie, Pete called out: “String Bean!” The ferret ran into the living. Jojo instantly picked the ferret.
  “Oh! You’re so cute!” she cried. “Hey, thanks!” Pete said. “Not you, the ferret!” “Don’t you love me?” “Of course I do, Petey darling!”
  “So, Petey, why did you pick this ferret?” “I guess it was just love at first site!” “Just like it was with us!” “Yes, I know.”
  Jojo visited rather often. One time she came in when Pete was walking String Bean on a leash. “Oh! Can I take him for a walk outside?” “Yes, but make sure no one is coming first.” “Why not?” “Some people here don’t like ferrets.”
  Jojo took the ferret for a walk, glancing down the hallway. A woman came out of the elevator. She saw String Bean before Jojo could hide it. “Whose ferret is this?” the lady yelled.
  “I’m walking it for my boyfriend.” Said Jojo. “And who might that be?” She sure is nosy! Thought Jojo. But she said, “His name is Pete.” The lady walked off.
  Jojo didn’t think anything of this strange encounter, so she took String Bean outside.
  The ferret was as good at walking on a leash as any good dog would be and Jojo was having a great time. Once it began to get dark she returned the ferret to Pete’s apartment and left.
  The next day Pete had a visitor. The owner of the apartment knocked on Pete’s door. “Do you own a ferret?” the tall man inquired of Pete. “What ever gave you that idea?” “Mrs. Lorie told me.” (Mrs. Lorie loathed ferrets) String Bean ran up at just that moment.
  “Don’t you know that this is a ‘No Pets Allowed’ apartment?” Before Pete could answer the other man said, “You have three days to get rid of the ferret.” “And what if I can’t?” “You get the ferret out of here or I’ll make you get out.”
  When Pete and String Bean were alone again, Pete cried out as loudly as he dared: “Why, why, why, can’t Mrs. Lorie mind her own business!”
  The first person he asked to take String Bean was, of course, Jojo. “Much as I hate to refuse,” said Jojo, “I must, for my mother hates ferrets, and want to stay at home for a while longer until…” “Until what?” “Nothing.”
  Pete felt like crying. In the few months that String Bean had been with Pete, the young man had grown to love the ferret very deeply. Pete posted an advertisement online. No one responded to it.
  The day when String Bean had to be gone came and String Bean still did not have a new home.
  Pete remembered reading that ferrets are a member of the weasel family. “Why couldn’t String Bean live in the wild?” So Pete and Jojo released the ferret in a nearby park.       They were both extremely sad to watch String Bean run off.
String Bean, not knowing that he was being abandoned, was elated with his new-found freedom.   

A Home For Bandit: Chapter Two

             Chapter 2: At Billy’s House

  The first thing the boy, Billy, and his mother did when the brought the ferret home was to set up his cage. It was a medium sized cage. It had a litter box on the bottom floor. The second floor had his food dish and water bottle. The third floor was Bandit’s bedroom. It had a hammock in it.
  All that Billy wanted to do was play with the ferret. He had made a long tunnel. Bandit ran in it until he got tired. Then Billy cuddled Bandit and brushed the ferret’s fur.
  Soon Billy’s father came home. “Look!” cried Billy. “We got a ferret!” The man picked up the little animal, which was asleep. “What a nice- what did you call it?” “It’s a ferret.” Said Billy, “Haven’t you ever seen one before?” Billy’s father said that, no, he had never seen a ferret. “I’ve seen weasels though,” he said “and this looks an awful lot like a weasel.”

Billy gave his new ferret a bath.

  After supper Billy gave his ferret a bath. He brushed its long body some more, and tossed balls for it to play with until bedtime. He wanted to sleep with Bandit, but his parents would not let him.
  The ferret, who had eventually been named “Squiggly”, soon became a member of the family. Every morning Billy would clean the litter box, scrub the food dish and water bottle, and give fresh food and water. Every afternoon after school, Billy would play with Squiggly until supper. After supper Billy had to do homework, at which time Squiggly would lie on Billy’s lap and fall asleep.
  Billy taught Squiggly to do tricks and it wasn’t long until the ferret would come when it was called, jump on command, and do several other tricks.
   Squiggly was as smart and friendly as a dog or cat would be. He never bit or scratched anyone. When Billy had friends come to visit, they could just pick Squiggly up with out fear.            Squiggly used the litter box ever time, and rarely chewed things, so he was aloud to wander around several rooms of Billy’s house.  
  Frequent baths and brushing and nail clippings kept Squiggly looking and smelling good. 
  But slowly Billy lost interest in Squiggly. He rarely cleaned the food dish or water bottle. He wouldn’t clean the litter box until it smelled really bad.
  Worst of all Squiggly often would spend all day cooped up in his dirty cage. He would get hungry and thirsty unless Billy’s mother had pity of the ferret and gave it what it needed.
  One-day Billy’s parents confronted him on this subject. They said that if Billy didn’t start taking better care of Squiggly they would have to sell him (The ferret, not Billy.)
  Billy still wanted to keep the ferret so he began to take better care of Squiggly. Then, one day, Billy had gone to the pet store to get some food for his ferret he saw a sign that said “Free Beagle Puppy!” there was an adorable picture of the puppy.
  Billy showed the picture to his mother and they began buying things for the puppy right away. After they left the pet store, Billy’s mother called the number that was on the add. The typed the address into their GPS and drove of to get the puppy.
  Billy took great care of his dog. He gave it food and water, walked it, played with it, brushed it, and bathed it.
  Meanwhile none of these things were happening the Squiggly. A week after they brought the beagle puppy home, Billy’s parents said that they were going to sell Squiggly. Billy said, “Oh well, I like my dog better anyway.” 
  His parents posted an advertisement online. It read: “Ferret for sale. Comes with cage, supplies, food, and toys. Very friendly. Loves people. Rehoming fee of $200.    
  It wasn’t long before the add had an answer. A young man came to pick up the ferret. “He’s the sweetest ferret I’ve ever seen! Is he loud?” asked the young man, whose name was Pete. “Not too loud.” Said Billy’s mother.
  Pete picked up the ferret. “He’s so nice! Why are you getting rid of him?” “Billy stopped taking good care of him.” “I’ll always take good care of him!” promised Pete.
  He got out a carrier and put the ferret in it. Squiggly looked out, very frightened. Then the carrier was lifted into a car. Squiggly hated car rides.

A Home For Bandit: Chapter One

I wrote A Home for Bandit for my mother's birthday. This is ironic considering what the story is about, but Mom loved it! So here is the first chapter of the story:

                            Chapter 1: The Pet Store

Bandit at the Pet Store

   Bandit’s story begins in a cage with five other kits at the Top Dog Pet Supply. From his favorite hammock the small ferret surveyed his surroundings. He saw a cage full of canaries. He saw a hamster running in a wheel. Suddenly, Bandit was hungry.
  The ferret crawled out of the hammock and walked over to the food dish that all the ferrets shared. He jumped into the air with joy as he saw that one of the workers had added a treat to his pellets. It was a paste that had vitamins in it. He instantly began to lick it.
  Bandit had almost every thing that a ferret would want. He had food, water, and a hammock. But there was one thing the ferret lacked: a loving home.
  One of the workers came up to the cage. Her name was Susie. She wanted a ferret of her own, but she was only 16 and still lived with her parents, who hated ferrets. She had given Bandit his name. She opened the lid and took Bandit out. Of all the kits Bandit was her favorite. She often would hold him with one hand and use the cash register with her other. The people waiting in line didn’t like this, but Bandit enjoyed it immensely.
  “I wish that you were mine!” Susie would say, “Wouldn’t that be great if you could live with me, Bandit?”
This was the only time that Bandit got any human affection. Sure, humans fed and watered him, and clipped his nails (Bandit hated having his nails clipped), but there was no playing out side of his cage, unless Susie took him out.
 He was sad when he had to be returned to the ferret cage. Susie had to clean out the budgie cage, and for obvious reasons, this was no place for a ferret.
  Bandit ran through the tunnels. He drank some water. Then he lay down on top of another ferret and took a nap.
  That afternoon a boy walked in with his mother. “See, Mom!” said the child; “These are ferrets!” “They sure are cute!” The mother replied. When a worker walked by, she asked him if they could hold one of the ferrets. He lifted Bandit out.
  “Can I get him, Mom?” pleaded the boy. Then the mother did something no one should ever do. Not knowing anything about ferrets, she bought Bandit, right then and there.

Keep reading my blog to read more of Bandit's story.