I was about used by now to being treated as if I had a new kind of infectious disease that might be contracted through and incautious look. I try to live in the present like an animal. Trying to withdraw hurt. But if this was judo I was in the fight of my life. Small cafes alongside brothels. I woke myself, scratching before the sun was up. She had survived this, so could I. I must have slept part of the time though there were no clear divisions between sleep and waking. I had plenty of experience at handling waiting but this wait seemed an extrodinarilly long one. The sun had set when she came out of the back door with my leash and muzzle. Looking at the adds, the books and so on there was none of that specialness which, in our own society, separates "sexual" from "normal" matters. As to germs well, I get my shots and regular exposure to low levels of bacteria keeps my immune system in good shape. We've often played with the kennel and I've stayed the occasional night there, though it is generally to cold to sleep naked out of doors. I hope my lady slept better than I did. The Greek hero Odysseus visited her island, Aeaea, with his companions, whom she changed into swine. My lady put the box in her purse and took out my leash. ", "Do you consider him to be a person now? Their dogs were, of course, another matter. They passed quite close to where I sat, frozen in shock, and she looked me full in the face and winked. Again and again the future would grab me by the neck and shake me, my heart would race and I would find myself curling up into a defensive ball, mentally and sometimes physically. She knew a lot about potions and herbs, and sometimes used this knowledge against her enemies and people who offended her, turning them into wild animals. Her athleticism was awesome. Then hours on a clear plastic table about which lasers rotated on gymballs sending pulses of light into my flesh to activate the drugs I was being given. This time heading straight for me. I soon fell into the pleasant thoughtless mental state I usually achieve under such circumstances. What could I say to that? I put the suitcases in the back and walked alongside as the driver nudged his beast into motion. Most western people literally don't know what hunger is these days. When you sign this you take responsibility for your animal. Like some of the customs men his initial reaction to the sight of me was a shrinking away, a controlled fear. Not that that embarrassed me any more. At long last she let me back clumsilly out of the crate and down from the tailgate but instead of leading me into the house she called me to heel and walked through the small door into the small but secluded backyard, sadly overgrown at the moment. My lady opened one of the bottom cages and told me to back in. The encounter left me stupified by its implications. It's a wonderful surprise. It was pointless to deny it. It makes you even more completely my pet. Occasionally there was interesting activity in the courtyard. It was nearly a week before I noticed that her left hand was always in a pocket during these incidents.