When Chad closed the door to the rubberisation booth, it had locked automatically, and had automatically activated the rubberisation process. Chad sputtered and pounded as the rubbery mist permeated his every pore. His hair was dripping with sticky goo, as hot air blasted him from all sides. The UV curing light caused him to clench his eyes shut. It went on for nearly half an hour before the machine pinged and the door automatically unlocked and swung open. Chad fell out of the booth. He grabbed at the door frame to catch himself, and he hung fast, but he still fell. His arm incredibly stretched like it was made of rubber. Chad lay on the linoleum floor staring up at his now six foot stretched out arm. He let go of his grip, and his arm snapped back into shape. Chad passed out.
In the morning, Jimmy's mother found Brent's singlet on the floor in front of the rubberisation machine. She frowned, she hoped Brent wouldn't be too upset to have his singlet rubberised. It looked the same except it was a bit shinier. She put it back on the hanger, got some new plastic wrap, stapled the receipt back on the bag and hung it back on the rack. Jimmy stopped by on his way to school for his tennis practice, he was none the wiser that Chad had almost escaped his fate. Chad was feeling numb, when he was lurched to wakefulness by Jimmy's mother taking him off the rack to hand the singlet to Brent. She quietly explained that since Brent was such a good customer, they had rubberised his singlet at no extra charge due to it being misplaced, when he first came in. Brent shrugged. He wondered if it would feel different now that it was rubberised. It looked the same through the plastic wrap. He thanked her, paid his bill, and carried Chad out by the hanger to his waiting Mini sports coupe. He tossed Chad into the front seat, and drove home. It was Saturday.
Chad was too tired this morning, and numb after his failed struggle to be human last night. All he could do was lie there.
Brent took Chad upstairs and hung him in his closet. Then he closed the door leaving Chad in the dark. Chad couldn't let Brent put him on, something told Chad that once he was worn, there was no way he could ever be human again. He began to struggle. Faintly, the plastic wrapper holding the singlet made a crinkling noise. Chad fought harder and harder. It seemed harder to move since he had been coated with rubber. He seemed heavier than he should be. But he managed to rattle the plastic loudly. There was a noise outside the closet door. It was a bark. Then he heard a snuffling sound, as Brent's dog used his snout to open the closet door a bit. He looked up at the singlet struggling in the bag, and barked.
"What is it boy?" asked Brent coming into the room. He saw his dog barking at the closet, and laughed. "Does my rubberised singlet smell funny boy? Let me take a look." He opened the door all the way, and reached for Chad.