Fraser and Dief ran up to Ray's car and stopped and the door. Fraser squinted and looked through the window while Dief paced around the car. He expected to see Ray in a panic and a growling raccoon in the back. Instead, he saw Ray calmly talking to the raccoon as they shared a bag of chips. "Ray?" Fraser asked.
Ray turned his head and saw Fraser at the door. He tossed another chip onto the seat for the raccoon and rolled down the window. "Hey buddy."
"Ray, the raccoon?"
"Oh, he wants another chip." This time he held the chip in his hand and let the raccoon come to him a snatched the chip.
"Ray, be careful." Fraser said.
"I know, buddy. He's harmless, okay? All he wants is food." Ray reached his hand in the bag to pull out another chip but the bag was empty. He looked at the raccoon. "Sorry, Bandit. We're out." He rolled the bag in a ball and tossed it to the back.
"Bandit? Ray, you haven't named the raccoon, have you?"
"Er, yeah."
Bandit curled up into a ball on the passenger seat and fell asleep while Fraser and Ray were talking.
"Shall I remove bandit from the car now?" Fraser asked.
"Why?"
"Because he's a wild animal."
"No he's not! You get a wolf; it's only fair I get a raccoon." Ray hadn't realized what he was saying and got caught up in the moment. "Besides, no wild raccoon would be as smart as Bandit."
"Exactly what do you mean?"
"When I got in here the radio was on. I don't even listen to Donna Summer!"
Fraser looked at the sleeping raccoon and back at Ray. "Are you saying this animal turned on your radio with intentions of listening to Donna Summer?"
"Well, I don't know." Ray sighed. "This is stupid. Maybe you should just let Bandit go so we can get to work." Ray looked at Bandit and gestured for Fraser to come around to the other side of the car.
Fraser walked to the passenger door and opened it. Bandit immediately looked at Fraser and stared into his eyes. Bandit's eyes were dilated and he whined while he gazed at Fraser.
Fraser couldn't help it that Bandit was just so… cute. They stared at each other for at least a minute. Then Fraser finally saw whatever it was Ray could see. "Oh dear." He sighed. "Well, Ray, Perhaps Dief and I should ride in the back?"
Ray laughed at the whole situation and agreed. Fraser and Dief climbed in the back. Dief peered to the front seat and smelled Bandit. He barked with approval and returned to the back. Ray started the engine again and sighed. "Wait, Fraser."
"What is it?"
"What are we gonna do with this raccoon at work today?"
"Well, we probably shouldn't bring it into the station." Fraser said.
"No."
"I suppose it should just stay in the car?"
"No way, I don't know what this guy's gonna do to the upholstery."
"Hm, perhaps he should wait outside?"
"What if he runs away?"
"That's his choice. If Bandit really wants to run away then we should let him. He is a wild animal, Ray."
"Okay, I guess that's fair." Ray agreed and drove the GTO forward to a stop sign where he turned on the radio. Hard rock music filled the car and Bandit made an annoyed sound. He stood up on his hind legs and pawed at the knob on the radio until the station changed to soft rock.
"Hey!" Ray yelled at the raccoon. Then he turned his head to look at Fraser. "See what I mean now?"
"Yes, Ray I do." Fraser smiled and looked at Bandit. "I don't like hard rock music either, Bandit." Now Fraser found himself talking to Bandit too.
Ray tried to change the station back but every thyme he reached for the knob, Bandit would whine loudly until he put his hand back on the steering wheel. Ray would just have to endure the Captain and Tennille all the way to the twenty-seven.