The FoxWell Chronicles
Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2021 9:03 pm
Chapter 1 Meeting on a Cold Night
K-9 officer Fox Limburg looked up at the starry night sky and shivered a little. Despite his leather bomber jacket and thick husky fur, he still felt the chill of the late November wind. It was a clear, cold night and some residents of the neighborhood of Babylon Gardens were putting up their bright, cheerful holiday lights. Fox had gone out for a walk to avoid bringing down the mood of his cousin Bailey and her corgi husband King who was Fox’s best friend. They were having their annual date night, and they had asked him to eat with him, it sounded odd to Fox, but the husky admitted he would enjoy sometime with the pair, so he had agreed.
Work had been eventful, Fox thought, there had been three cases, drunk drivers, all women, that involved the K-9s. The first two were relatively okay, with the first woman reluctantly accepting her fate, and the second apologizing for driving drunk and thanking the police for stopping her before she hurt anyone. The third was a different story altogether. She had evaded police, and almost caused multiple crashes. The pursuit ended when the woman ran a red light and smashed into another car. She then got out of the car and run. After ignoring a human officer’s command to stop, Fox tackled her. After he had handcuffed her and took her back to the police SUV, she had whined about being brought down by an ‘inferior creature’ , and that DUI laws were ‘unfair’ . That didn’t really bother Fox, he had heard a variation of it often enough. What made him sad, and angered him was seeing the pain on face of the young man whose car she had hit. He had an open fracture, and was in agony. Fortunately, Mungo, Fox’s fellow officer and part-time therapy dog was comforting the kid, and trying make him feel as comfortable as possible. Mungo had told the K-9s later that the doctors believed the young man would make a full recovery though it would take a while. That was good news to Fox, he still felt unsettled and angry at the unfairness of the situation. Fox sat on a bench in the park and tried to sort out his thoughts.
That same night, the tomcat Maxwell Rufus Sharp was walking towards the park as well. The black and grey cat had fled into the night to avoid the nasty argument between his canine housemate Bino and his owner/father Jeff. The subject of the argument was, once again, Bino’s increasingly reckless and out-of-control behavior, as today the dog had been harassing people until his brother, Fido, a K-9 took him home. Fido had stayed until Jeff got home, despite enduring insults from Bino. Then Jeff and Bino, started arguing. Bino said that Jeff always picked on him, and never yelled at Max. Jeff said that he had yelled at Max plenty of times and that, regardless Max wasn’t the subject. Bino then said that it was easy for Max because Max was “just a worthless scruffy alley cat who should be in the pound, shelter or better yet, dead” and not an officer in the vaunted, (to Bino) Good Old Dog Club. The argument had then devolved into a screaming match and Max had grabbed his messenger bag, phone, and scarf and headed out into the night.
Max dated the purple cat Grape Jelly Sandwich and usually during the arguments between his father and Bino he’d go to her house and spend some time with her and her housemate Peanut Butter Sandwich, who she also dated. Tonight, however, was their date night and while he knew neither Grape or Peanut minded him interrupting their date, as both deeply cared for him, he wanted them to have fun. Max knew that Peanut and Grape’s parents, Earl and Jill cared for him and would lend a sympathetic ear, but they had their date night as well, and Max didn’t want to interrupt them either. Grape had recently encouraged Max to date someone else, as she dated Peanut she wouldn’t mind and it would give Max another place to turn when she and Peanut were unavailable. Max had decided t head to his ex-girlfriend Sabrina’s house, he and Sabrina had recently fully reconciled and Max enjoyed hanging out with the all-black cat and her Pomeranian housemate Tarot. Max had first considered dating Tarot, but the dog assured him that although she cared very much for him, she wanted to remain a trusted platonic friend. Max had also considered his friend Marvin, but the orange cat was seemingly always tied up with his neurotic canine housemate Tiger, whose various issues were enough to confound a squadron of therapists. Max had also decided against the Bigglesworths (too confusing) and Jasper(no desire to deal with that mouse) and had called Sabrina to see if she had any suggestions. Sabrina told him to come over and they’d talk and have their weekly bad movie night. So, after packing to Eurospy movies in his messenger bag, that’s what Max did. Approaching the park bench he saw Fox. Max admired the grey husky for being a K-9 and for standing up to Bino when the latter bullied King. Max smiled as he approached the dog.
“Hey, Fox nice night. Cold though.” Max said
“Oh, hi Max. Yeah, It is kind of nippy. I was just taking a walk, hard day at work.” Fox looked at the cat
“Yeah, I heard a number of sirens a couple of hours ago. Do you want to talk about it? It sometimes helps to talk about things. I’ve learned that from being with Peanut , Tarot and Grape and from my Nippers Anonymous meetings. Well, that and audiences on game shows give lousy advice. That last one was more from hanging out Peanut, Tarot and Grape, but you’d be surprised how often it comes up at Nippers Anonymous.”
“Actually, it would be good to talk about it, I& you don’t mind. I’m trying not to hold things inside so much anymore. I didn’t know that you were giving up catnip. Good for you.” Fox smiled
“Thanks, I finally realized that nip wasn’t really helping me at all. I just used it to escape. And of course I don’t mind, I wouldn’t have asked you if I minded.” Max sat next to Fox on the bench
“Well, today I was involved in three DUI arrests, all women which is odd but not unheard of. The first two were nothing serious, in fact the second lady than,Ed us for getting her off the street before she hurt herself or someone else.” Fox sighed, “The third woman ran from us though, she led us on a vehicle pursuit, she almost hit ten cars that I saw, and ended up smashing into some poor kid coming home from doing his family’s grocery shopping. The drunk driver called me an inferior creature. I’ve heard that often enough it really doesn’t bother me too much. But, what she did to that poor kid...It just infuriates me. I hate to see innocents suffer, and he was doing nothing wrong. Just driving home. Then some idiot crashes into his car and badly breaks his left leg. After I had cuffed the driver and gotten her in the patrol SUV, I turned and I saw his face, he had a open fracture and was in so much pain. Fortunately, Mungo was with him. Doctors think he’ll be okay, but it’ll be a long recovery. Neither he or his family blame us but, it’s hard not to look back and say maybe we should’ve done something different, let the helicopter pursue her or something. I feel bad about it.”
“I’m sorry you saw that Fox, it sounds like a rough scene.” Max said, he put his paw on the husky’s shoulder, “But Fox, this wasn’t your fault. She chose to run, she chose to drink and drive. That driver is the only one responsible for that kid’s injuries. Don’t blame yourself Fox, you’re a good guy, and a good officer.”
“Thanks, Max, I know what you’re saying is true and it’s good to hear it from someone else. Good to have backup I guess.” Fox looked at the cat, “So, what are you doing out of you’re warm home?”
“Actually, I’m meeting Sabrina at her place, we’re going to talk about some things and watch some bad movies.” Max smiled, then the smile faded, “Also dad and Bino were screaming at each other again. Bino was out wasted on anise and orange soda and bothering people. Fido took him home. He called Fido a cat-loving freak, among other things. I think Fido used to Bino’s insults. When dad got home he and Bino really went at it, Bino called me a scruffy alley cat, and worse and they just screamed at each other. It just...It happens so often and it’s so hard listening to,it, because, because I love both of them and I..I don’t know if they love each other. I just can’t take this carp anymore.” The last line was spoken very quietly, almost hopelessly. Tears were streaming down Max’s muzzle, and Fox pulled the cat close to him allowing the cat to cat put his head against Fox’s side. Fox handed Max his bandanna, Maxed thanked him, wiping at his eyes and nose with the yellow cloth.
“I’m sorry Max, I know it’s hard watching those you love fight, but believe me, none of this is your fault. You’re a good guy, and I know it hurts to see these arguments, but you just have to take care of yourself. Make sure your mental and physical well-being is looked after. You really can’t control anyone’s actions but your own” Fox comforted the cat
“Thanks Fox, I guess I just needed to get that out. I’ll be okay until I get to Sabrina’s. For all her sarcasm she’s very good at comforting, and she does really care, I’m glad I reconciled with her.” Max said
“Yeah, she was good to me too, and....” Fox’s cell phone alarm chirped, “Carp, gotta get home. Bailey and King are waiting for me. You’re going to be okay?”
“Yeah, I’ll be able to get to Sabrina’s. Thanks, again Fox.” Max smiled
“No problem, Max. Now, I better get home before they eat my food. Take care of yourself, okay?” Fox patted the cat’s shoulder reassuringly and dashed for home
“Fox wait,” Max called after the dog, “you forgot your bandanna.”
“That’s okay. I have several!” Fox said over his shoulder
Max shrugged, and tucking the bandanna into his messenger bag for safe keeping, headed of to Sabrina’s for advice and movies.
K-9 officer Fox Limburg looked up at the starry night sky and shivered a little. Despite his leather bomber jacket and thick husky fur, he still felt the chill of the late November wind. It was a clear, cold night and some residents of the neighborhood of Babylon Gardens were putting up their bright, cheerful holiday lights. Fox had gone out for a walk to avoid bringing down the mood of his cousin Bailey and her corgi husband King who was Fox’s best friend. They were having their annual date night, and they had asked him to eat with him, it sounded odd to Fox, but the husky admitted he would enjoy sometime with the pair, so he had agreed.
Work had been eventful, Fox thought, there had been three cases, drunk drivers, all women, that involved the K-9s. The first two were relatively okay, with the first woman reluctantly accepting her fate, and the second apologizing for driving drunk and thanking the police for stopping her before she hurt anyone. The third was a different story altogether. She had evaded police, and almost caused multiple crashes. The pursuit ended when the woman ran a red light and smashed into another car. She then got out of the car and run. After ignoring a human officer’s command to stop, Fox tackled her. After he had handcuffed her and took her back to the police SUV, she had whined about being brought down by an ‘inferior creature’ , and that DUI laws were ‘unfair’ . That didn’t really bother Fox, he had heard a variation of it often enough. What made him sad, and angered him was seeing the pain on face of the young man whose car she had hit. He had an open fracture, and was in agony. Fortunately, Mungo, Fox’s fellow officer and part-time therapy dog was comforting the kid, and trying make him feel as comfortable as possible. Mungo had told the K-9s later that the doctors believed the young man would make a full recovery though it would take a while. That was good news to Fox, he still felt unsettled and angry at the unfairness of the situation. Fox sat on a bench in the park and tried to sort out his thoughts.
That same night, the tomcat Maxwell Rufus Sharp was walking towards the park as well. The black and grey cat had fled into the night to avoid the nasty argument between his canine housemate Bino and his owner/father Jeff. The subject of the argument was, once again, Bino’s increasingly reckless and out-of-control behavior, as today the dog had been harassing people until his brother, Fido, a K-9 took him home. Fido had stayed until Jeff got home, despite enduring insults from Bino. Then Jeff and Bino, started arguing. Bino said that Jeff always picked on him, and never yelled at Max. Jeff said that he had yelled at Max plenty of times and that, regardless Max wasn’t the subject. Bino then said that it was easy for Max because Max was “just a worthless scruffy alley cat who should be in the pound, shelter or better yet, dead” and not an officer in the vaunted, (to Bino) Good Old Dog Club. The argument had then devolved into a screaming match and Max had grabbed his messenger bag, phone, and scarf and headed out into the night.
Max dated the purple cat Grape Jelly Sandwich and usually during the arguments between his father and Bino he’d go to her house and spend some time with her and her housemate Peanut Butter Sandwich, who she also dated. Tonight, however, was their date night and while he knew neither Grape or Peanut minded him interrupting their date, as both deeply cared for him, he wanted them to have fun. Max knew that Peanut and Grape’s parents, Earl and Jill cared for him and would lend a sympathetic ear, but they had their date night as well, and Max didn’t want to interrupt them either. Grape had recently encouraged Max to date someone else, as she dated Peanut she wouldn’t mind and it would give Max another place to turn when she and Peanut were unavailable. Max had decided t head to his ex-girlfriend Sabrina’s house, he and Sabrina had recently fully reconciled and Max enjoyed hanging out with the all-black cat and her Pomeranian housemate Tarot. Max had first considered dating Tarot, but the dog assured him that although she cared very much for him, she wanted to remain a trusted platonic friend. Max had also considered his friend Marvin, but the orange cat was seemingly always tied up with his neurotic canine housemate Tiger, whose various issues were enough to confound a squadron of therapists. Max had also decided against the Bigglesworths (too confusing) and Jasper(no desire to deal with that mouse) and had called Sabrina to see if she had any suggestions. Sabrina told him to come over and they’d talk and have their weekly bad movie night. So, after packing to Eurospy movies in his messenger bag, that’s what Max did. Approaching the park bench he saw Fox. Max admired the grey husky for being a K-9 and for standing up to Bino when the latter bullied King. Max smiled as he approached the dog.
“Hey, Fox nice night. Cold though.” Max said
“Oh, hi Max. Yeah, It is kind of nippy. I was just taking a walk, hard day at work.” Fox looked at the cat
“Yeah, I heard a number of sirens a couple of hours ago. Do you want to talk about it? It sometimes helps to talk about things. I’ve learned that from being with Peanut , Tarot and Grape and from my Nippers Anonymous meetings. Well, that and audiences on game shows give lousy advice. That last one was more from hanging out Peanut, Tarot and Grape, but you’d be surprised how often it comes up at Nippers Anonymous.”
“Actually, it would be good to talk about it, I& you don’t mind. I’m trying not to hold things inside so much anymore. I didn’t know that you were giving up catnip. Good for you.” Fox smiled
“Thanks, I finally realized that nip wasn’t really helping me at all. I just used it to escape. And of course I don’t mind, I wouldn’t have asked you if I minded.” Max sat next to Fox on the bench
“Well, today I was involved in three DUI arrests, all women which is odd but not unheard of. The first two were nothing serious, in fact the second lady than,Ed us for getting her off the street before she hurt herself or someone else.” Fox sighed, “The third woman ran from us though, she led us on a vehicle pursuit, she almost hit ten cars that I saw, and ended up smashing into some poor kid coming home from doing his family’s grocery shopping. The drunk driver called me an inferior creature. I’ve heard that often enough it really doesn’t bother me too much. But, what she did to that poor kid...It just infuriates me. I hate to see innocents suffer, and he was doing nothing wrong. Just driving home. Then some idiot crashes into his car and badly breaks his left leg. After I had cuffed the driver and gotten her in the patrol SUV, I turned and I saw his face, he had a open fracture and was in so much pain. Fortunately, Mungo was with him. Doctors think he’ll be okay, but it’ll be a long recovery. Neither he or his family blame us but, it’s hard not to look back and say maybe we should’ve done something different, let the helicopter pursue her or something. I feel bad about it.”
“I’m sorry you saw that Fox, it sounds like a rough scene.” Max said, he put his paw on the husky’s shoulder, “But Fox, this wasn’t your fault. She chose to run, she chose to drink and drive. That driver is the only one responsible for that kid’s injuries. Don’t blame yourself Fox, you’re a good guy, and a good officer.”
“Thanks, Max, I know what you’re saying is true and it’s good to hear it from someone else. Good to have backup I guess.” Fox looked at the cat, “So, what are you doing out of you’re warm home?”
“Actually, I’m meeting Sabrina at her place, we’re going to talk about some things and watch some bad movies.” Max smiled, then the smile faded, “Also dad and Bino were screaming at each other again. Bino was out wasted on anise and orange soda and bothering people. Fido took him home. He called Fido a cat-loving freak, among other things. I think Fido used to Bino’s insults. When dad got home he and Bino really went at it, Bino called me a scruffy alley cat, and worse and they just screamed at each other. It just...It happens so often and it’s so hard listening to,it, because, because I love both of them and I..I don’t know if they love each other. I just can’t take this carp anymore.” The last line was spoken very quietly, almost hopelessly. Tears were streaming down Max’s muzzle, and Fox pulled the cat close to him allowing the cat to cat put his head against Fox’s side. Fox handed Max his bandanna, Maxed thanked him, wiping at his eyes and nose with the yellow cloth.
“I’m sorry Max, I know it’s hard watching those you love fight, but believe me, none of this is your fault. You’re a good guy, and I know it hurts to see these arguments, but you just have to take care of yourself. Make sure your mental and physical well-being is looked after. You really can’t control anyone’s actions but your own” Fox comforted the cat
“Thanks Fox, I guess I just needed to get that out. I’ll be okay until I get to Sabrina’s. For all her sarcasm she’s very good at comforting, and she does really care, I’m glad I reconciled with her.” Max said
“Yeah, she was good to me too, and....” Fox’s cell phone alarm chirped, “Carp, gotta get home. Bailey and King are waiting for me. You’re going to be okay?”
“Yeah, I’ll be able to get to Sabrina’s. Thanks, again Fox.” Max smiled
“No problem, Max. Now, I better get home before they eat my food. Take care of yourself, okay?” Fox patted the cat’s shoulder reassuringly and dashed for home
“Fox wait,” Max called after the dog, “you forgot your bandanna.”
“That’s okay. I have several!” Fox said over his shoulder
Max shrugged, and tucking the bandanna into his messenger bag for safe keeping, headed of to Sabrina’s for advice and movies.