Tina II Chapter 11- The Prisoner- A Gray Muzzle story
Tina II, Chapter 11- The Prison- A Gray Muzzle story
Marcia placed a call on the intercom.
"Lucy, Can you come down to my office? There's someone I'd like you to meet."
Moments later, Lucy stuck her head in the door. A striking white Poodle, with the most amazing head of red hair.
"You called?"
Lucy was leaning in the doorway. She wore a long skirt, and a sleeveless silk top, over which she wore a pink cashmere sweater.
"Lucy, this is our newest girl. Can you show her around, and get her settled in?"
Peteena House was a home for abandoned Poodle hybrids. When the great emancipation came, they were no longer pets, but there was no where for them to go. As humans, they couldn't be destroyed, but there was no place for them to go. A kindly millionare, and lover of Standard Poodles left his entire estate to establish Peteena House. Here, the former pets could live out there lives, in comfort and dignity. When Peteena House opened, there were perhaps a half dozen residents. Today, after several additions, Peteena House was taking in it's eighty second guest. Once word had gotten out, they came from near and far. Europe, the Soviet Republics, the Middle East and Asia. Of course, most were American. The majority came from Arkansas, Missouri, and Texas, where they had been raised in great numbers. When they ceased to have economic value, the hybrids were cast off, with no where to go. Lacking money or education, there was no place for them to go. Peteena House was a Godsend, a place where every Poodle hybrid was accepted without question.
"Hello, dear, I'm Lucy, but no one ever calls me that. Everyone knows me as 'Red'
The new girl blushed and looked down.
"I'm Dorothy, Miss Lucy....sorry.....Red....." she offered her hand.
Dorothy was typical of the girls that came to Peteena House. She came from Kansas, wearing a gingham midrift top, Daisey Dukes, and a worn flowered hat.. She carried only a cardboard suitcase.
"Those are some shoes, there." Red commented, checking out her footwear.
"Uh, I knew I had a lot of walking to do....." Dorothy replied, looking self consciously at her heavy work boots, and thick white socks.
"Well, we'll take care of that. Let's get you a room, and let you clean up. Then I'll show you around."
Red took her suitcase, and lead her down a long hallway. They went down some stairs, then took an elevator. At the end of yet another long hall, Red opened a door. Inside, it was a cheerful, airy, four bed room. There were two bunk beds, and four dressers, and a bathroom private to the suite. Red went out into the hall, and came back with linens, and towels.
"Here's your towels. The bath is through there. Once you've showered, we'll do your hair, and get you some clothes.
"Thanks" she smiles
The shower was huge and clean. Not at all like the outdoor hose Dorothy was accustomed to. There was lots of warm water, and nice smelling soap. There was even a hair dryer for her to use. She would have stayed forever, but Dorothy knew that Lucy was waiting for her. When she emerged, Red was waiting.
"Here's a nice bathrobe for you. I hope you don't mind, but since I was waiting, I took the liberty of starting to unpack."
Indeed she had. Her few belongings were in the dresser, her clothes on hangers. The suitcase was under her bunk. There was a picture, which Lucy had placed by her bed, atop the dresser.
"The people....who are they?"
Dorothy took the picture from her.
"This is my family.....when they changed the law, they couldn't keep me anymore. I miss them sometimes. Especially....."
Her voice trailed away, but Lucy knew that she was talking about the boy in the front of the picture. She placed it carefully back on the dresser.
"Let's get going. We've got things to do...."
Lucy lead her back to the elevator. They rode it all the way to the basement. When the door opened, it was cool and dark. They walked another hallway, where there was a lighted room at the end. The door was partially open, Dorothy's eyes were greeted by the strangest sight. The room was a mess. There was an unmade bed, and food boxes everywhere. There were skateboards, and BMX bikes, and snowboards, and sports stuff off all types. There was a 250cc dirt bike being overhauled on the floor. In the center of the floor was a white Poodle wearing nothing but her underwear. Her back was to the door, and she was dancing and singing to 'The Beatie Boys' which played on her iPod.
"Violet!" Red shouted, pulling the headphones from her ears "This is Dorothy. She's our newest guest.
Violet snatched back her MP3 player, and threw it on the dresser. She then took a smock off the rack, and stepped into a pair of flip flops. She pulled a beautician's chair from the corner, where it sat under a sheet.
"Violet is our hairdresser. She doesn't live here full time anymore, but she still comes back to visit. She's really good."
Violet was suddenly all business. She placed Dorothy in the chair, and got to work.
"Hmmmm."
Violet could see that there wasn't that much hair on her head. It was a common problem. Many girls had been struggling just to survive; there wasn't time for grooming.
Violet tugged at her snarled curls.
"I think most of this will have to go. Don't worry, though, we'll have you looking prettu. May I cut it?"
Dorothy was tearing up, but she nodded her head 'yes'; Violet began to cut. When she was done, there was a fine layer of soft fuzz. Dorothy was in shock.
"Now, let's get you looking pretty!"
Violet took her by the hand, to a room across the hall. When the light came on, the room was filled with wigs, of every length and color. They picked several, and took them back to the chair. She tried a blonde one, which was pretty, and a red one, and long brown curls. In the end, they decided thick brown braids, parted in the center, was the best look of all.
"What do you think? Violet asked, holding a mirror
Dorothy was very pleased. She had never seen such nice hair! She hugged Violet, as she got up to leave.
Lucy took her back upstairs, where they went to what may have been the largest room in the house.
"This is the closet" Red explained. "Each of us has our own clothes. But we have this....the 'Community Closet'. These are the clothes that we share. Truth is, we share most of the things we have. Just seems to make sense."
By the time she finished speaking, Dorothy was already in the racks of clothes that were on every wall. Dorothy tried on dress after dress, until she fount a sleeveless blue dress that she thought was very pretty. Lucy went to the closet.
"Here are some panties, and some undershirts. I got you a few one piece undergarments, too. A lot of us prefer them. You can wear bras, if you wish; most of us don't bother. We'll take you shopping for new things in a few days. These should hold you until then."
Then, they went to the shoe closet. Dorothy picked out some blue suede sneakers.
"That's...what you want? Red inquired, slightly amused.
"I'd see.....everyone wearing them. I never had any of my own. I thought they must be wonderful, since everybody had them" she replied.
"That's good enough for me" Red smiled.
They then went on a tour of the house. Red took her through the different dorm areas of the house. As they walked, they encountered groups of girls. Some were leaving to play tennis. Others were doing chores. Yet others seemed to just be hanging out. Leaving the dorms, they went to the public areas. In one room, Violet was now teaching an aerobic class, to about ten girls. Across the hall, another dozen intently worked on ballet dancing. There was a library, a comfortable TV lounge, and a theatre where movies were shown on weekend nights. Right off the lobby was the dining room. It was bright and cheery, and it could seat all eighty plus girls, and guests all at once. It was arranged in tables of eight, with white tablecloths, and there were candles and fresh flowers on each one.
"Marcia's orders" Red noted.
Beyond the dining room was the kitchen.
"Each week, the schedule gets posted. Newer girls serve meals to the senior ones. But everyone does chores." Lucy stated "Nothing nasty, mind you. Laundry, dusting, that sort of thing. We're all expected to help out."
"Only seems fair. I'm not afraid of work."
On the center island, was a red velvet cake. It was the lovleiest thing Dorothy had seen. She just gawked at it.
"Shall we have some?"
"But....it's not ours......"
"I think it will be OK...." Lucy responded.
She cut Dorothy a big slice of cake, and poured her a glass of milk.
"Where are my manners! You must be starved!"
Indeed she was. Dorothy finished it in record time, and Red got her another. She finished that as well. Red gathered up the dishes, and placed them in the dishwasher.
"Shall we look outside?
Outside was a place of wonder. There were swings and slides and playhouses.
"A lot of the girls seem to like them" Red noted "Most didn't have things like this growing up."
There was a built in cooking area, and a pinic grove, where the girls would eat outside in the summer. Beyond the main yard, was a running track- and another track.
"That's where we ride motorcycles ATVs, mini bikes, that sort of thing.
Dorothy's eyes were huge.
Down a small knoll, on the lower part of the property, was a HUGE pool. There was a hot tub, and a waterfall, too. Girls in swimsuits sunned and played in the warm water. By the pool, there was even a bar.
"Drink?"
"Dogs aren't supposed to have that."
"Says who?"
"My family told me that"
"On that topic, they were wrong" Red laughed "What will it be?"
"I'll have a 'Bud', please."
Red got a Jack Daniel's on the rocks; she brought Dorothy a beer. They sat at a table with a big umbrella by the pool, where they looked over the estate on a magnificent Summer day.
"Red?"
"Uh huh....."
"What is it like....here at Peteena House?"
Red smiled.
"I though that's what we were discussing."
"No, I mean, really....."
Red sat back in her chair, and got very serious.
"OK. What would you like to know."
"Do people get along?"
"Oh, yes.....EVERYONE is really close. People have their disagreements, but all the girls are so sweet. Not to worry."
"Marcia?:
Red reached into her bag, and pulled out a cigarette, Marlboro red. She lit it with a vintage Zippo.
"Marcia is my dearest friend. She's really wonderful. She's always doing little, special things for people. She has some that she's closer to......She's very fond of Violet. There's this French girl.....And Marcia is my best friend....."
She took a long drag on the cigarette.
"We're lovers. Have been for many years."
Dorothy looked a little surprised.
"Is there...a lot of 'that' here?"
Red laughed.
"It's not like it is out there. Here.....there's only us girls. If someone has a need.....well, you'd help a sister, wouldn't you?"
Red took another long drag, and finished her drink in one shot.
"Lucy? Is there something I'm missing? I mean, it all seams so.....so WONDERFUL here. Still, I sense there's something.....something missing, something wrong. If I'm off track, please tell me so."
Red lit another cigarette.
"Smart girl. But then, I was never much good at fooling people when it came to my feelings."
"Does it have to do...with that?"
"This? " Red felt the large scar that crossed her nose. Looking more carefully, Dorothy could see that there was a part of her nose missing. Red sat back in her chair.
"That....was a long time ago. It's mostly behind me, at least now. Marcia helped me get my hair, the surgery, the rest. She'll help you too, if that's what you want. But no, not really. That's not it."
"Then, what IS it?"
Red smiled.
"I suspect you'll find me silly. I'll let you decide. It really IS what it appears. We're all friends. We're taken care of wonderfully. We pretty much live as we please. Get up early, or sleep late. We have lovely clothes. Our every need is met. By every standard, a perfect life."
"Then what is it?"
"It's all too perfect"
"Perfect? You're joking, right?"
Red shot her a look.
"Not at all. We were never meant to live in perfection. It will drive you mad."
"No one here looks the least bit mad."
"Ah, but they are! Most adjust, by just not thinking. They get up, eat play, sleep....then they do it all again. It's like prison. ...."
"Do you mean we're locked in here?"
"No, not at all. We're free to leave. We travel. Actually, we travel all the time. But it's the same thing, just in a different place. There's no place for us to go. The world out there, they don't want us. And we're not prepared to live there. So, here we are, in a cage. An elegant, sophisticated cage. But a cage just the same."
"Does everyone feel as you do?"
"No. Marcia has her career. She has a reason to get up in the morning, independent of us. She's quite happy."
"Just Marcia?"
"No. Violet is actually pretty happy."
"Violet? That crazy one in the basement?'
"Yes. Her. A while back, she met and married a reporter who came here. She has a job. She's lived in the real world. She does hair. She teaches aerobics. She's got a family, and friends.....a life beyond these walls."
"So there's hope."
"Hope for those who leave."
"But everyone SEEMS so happy......'
"Maybe. Perhaps I think too much. So, don't think about it. Forget I told you any of this. Maybe it will be different for you....."
"So, what do I do?" she asked, concerned.
"Plan.....start working on a way out. It will always be here....if you need it. But if you can, make a life. Get educated. Get a job. And....."
"And...what?"
"Never give up on love. That boy....you love him?"
Dorothy looked down, never saying a word.
"Never give up on love......"