'Speechless'

Chapter 3: 'The Small One'

As the tally marks show on my wallet, I'm going on ten years old now. The one I was supposed to call my mom said that I'm not her son anymore, and she would see me die out on my own. Yet here I am. My existence is my defiance, and my own rebellion against her, even if she won't see it. In three more years, I will be considered 'legal' in this county.

Here I am in a larger town called 'Chantilly', and I walked inside of a large shopping mall. I've never been to a doctor in my entire life so far. The only thing close to that was at a CVS in the mall. There's a chart next to the walking canes, and a scale. According to the chart, I'm 4'6. The scale says I'm 80lbs. Surprisingly, my shorts still fit after all this time

I got a new t-shirt from an old tomcat that picked me up about a month ago. It's a simple grey t-shirt. It's nothing much to most, but it means a lot to me. I've seen the good, the bad, and the ugly in all my time out here without a home. The good comes from those that lend a hand. The bad is from the old homeless toms who are drunks, or do drugs.

The ugly falls under the same category as the second. But one must wonder, what were they like before this all happened to them? They must not have been born out here on the street. It's not for me to stick my muzzle in where it doesn't belong. There was a truck stop, and gas station at the 'Loves' just up Maine Street from the mall. I'll try my luck

I have never been molested. Don't worry. All this time out on my own has given me a strong judgement of character. I can see it in the eyes of others. Where there are good old she-kats, there are also good old tomcats as well. I sat by the store, and I watched the trucks go by. I looked over to an old bobcat coming out of the store. The tom looked back

"You okay?" he asked,

I nodded "You don't look it,"

"You need a lift?" he questioned, and smiled, "this is my last haul, and my place is just a hundred miles down the highway, I can give you a ride if you like," he offered, I smiled and got up off the ground. This tomcat looked to be in his late-fifties, and strong too. He had a grey mustache and beard to match his grey and white spotted fur. A nice tomcat.

Being out on my own also gave me confidence. For one thing, I'm not shy about nudity. Sometimes when it rains in the mountain areas, I take a shower under the waterfalls on the highway. I still have my old toothbrush, and I even still brush my teeth everyday. It's the least I can do. I maybe young, but I think I'm starting to realize this now: I'm gay.

The old tomcat, named 'Charlie' by the patch on his shirt, led me to his Peterbilt 359 Extended Hood in the back of the truck stop, "It's a real shame to see a lil' youngin' like you out here, so when we get to my place, I'm going to help out," he promised as he closed the door to his truck. I buckled up, and the engine rumbled to life as we got on the road.

He smiled to me, and I smiled back as he shifted the gears. He's got a wise look in his blue-grey eyes, "You can't talk, can yah, son?" he asked, I nodded to say that he's right, "I'm a grandpa, one of my grand-kittens is mute too, so I know how you feel," he said as he paid attention to the road, "yah know some of us tomcats just know certain things,"

"You're gay, aren't chah?" he asked, I smiled and nodded lightly, "so am I, now don't you worry, I ain't gonna try to get in your pants, you're too young, I'll tell you one thing, I can say when you grow up some more, you're gonna be cute, really cute, and yer growin' a lil' bubble butt on yah," I smiled, we traveled a hundred miles for an hour-and-a-half.

"Well now, here we are, Sonny-Pup,"

"Home sweet home," Charlie smiled

It was a modern 'ranch'-style home. Unlike some I've seen on the road, this one looks to be in great shape. No rundown, or rusted, or broken-down cars in the front yard. The house was very clean with a few jackets on the coatrack. There was a big landscape painting of a desert hanging above the wall behind the couch, and a large old flatscreen TV.

"Hold up, let me get you some clean clothes, and I'll put those rags in the wash," said Charlie walking over to a bedroom, "my grandson likes to come over during the Holidays, I think he's got some old clothes that'll fit yah," he came out with light grey shorts with a blue side stripe, and a blue t-shirt. I slipped out of my flip-flops as the old tomcat smiled

"Let's get you out of these ragtags," he said softly and warmly, and helped me out of my shirt, and tossed it to the side. I smiled down at the old tom on his knees to me, and he pulled my shorts down. My butt made a little jiggle behind me for both butt-cheeks as I stepped out of my pants "the bathroom is the third on the right, and you need a shower"

I nodded, and took the offered clothes. Charlie chuckled as I walked into the bathroom. After about ten minutes, I was clean and dry. I put on the new clothes which fit me just right. He offered me a grilled cheese sandwich, and a glass of juice, "Now I know you're gay, so I'm gonna pass on a bit of wisdom to you, son," he said, being the wise old tom,

"You best watch your back, not every old tom is gonna be like me, yah hear?" said Charlie, I nodded seeing how serious he is, "you're strong, but I don't wanna see a lil' pup like you gettin' hurt," he warned. He reached into his pocket, and pulled out some money, "here's 200, if you gonna leave in the mornin', there's a motel up the way 'bout five miles"