Each day is an epic journey for Roofus Chaz, no matter how small the task. Roofus has a constellation of symptoms that resemble a form of autism. As a result, he has difficulty understanding human behaviour, gestures, and relationships. He fears strangers, new places, being touched, and cannot stand flashing colours in red and white for reasons only he understands. Today, he decides to chase Ginger, the zippy cat that belongs to Ms. Thurlow, for the thrill of a chase.
The Chase
The morning was cold yet sunny, and the grass was slippery with dew. Roofus Chaz headed across the street to Ms. Thurlow's house. Every day he looked forward to playing with Ginger. He knew that no matter how high he threw Ginger, she would always land on her feet. Why can't people be that way? Roofus felt this day was special and had a need for speed. Roofus felt something good was going to happen. "Grease my wheels", Roofus thought, as he prepared to give Ginger the run of her life.
When Roofus reached Ms. Thurlow's house, he heard a shrill screech, almost like nails on a blackboard, shatter the quiet morning air. It came from inside the house. Mrs. Thurlow bolted out of her house and ran across her front lawn, crying, "Help! Help! There's a mouse! Roofus, get Ginger!" Ms. Thurlow knew Ginger would quickly dispatch that "Miniscule, demonic monstrosity." The mouse shot out of the house, Ginger in quick pursuit, and Roofus barreled along to enjoy the chase. The three of them ripped across the lawn, trampling across grass, hydrangeas, and hollyhocks, until three quarters of the way past the neatly paved blacktop of Hidden Valley Crescent, a Jaguar operated by a physicist named Lawrence squashed Roofus and Ginger, narrowly missing the mouse.
"The flashing red and white lights are back", thought Roofus, as the ambulance appeared to take away his torn body. "It's Mr. Chaz again", said Bob, the first aid attendant, to his partner. "Remember when we picked him off the street last year? He was still a lawyer then, and riding his Ducati at a hundred kilometres per hour. Hard to believe with a brain injury and a wheelchair he can still get into this much trouble".