"There, doggy, you're 100% canine now. My very own Most Valuable Poodle," joked Karen with a giggle.
Chad tried to move. He couldn't. He wanted to rip her throat our with his teeth. His earlier thoughts of grabbing the device to reverse his transformation was beyond his limited canine brain.
Chad growled.
Karen shook her head and laughed again.
Chad used to think Karen's laugh was lyrical. Now it seemed maniacal.
"Hello?" She said into the phone. Then she sighed. "Karen Sinclair," she said to the automated receptionbot. Then she waited.
"Hello, Brad, my poodle just arrived. When can you pick him up for his training." She paused and frowned.
"Well, yes, I do remember what you told me. But -"
"Yes, I know it's a holiday weekend, and the vet has to inspect- but couldn't you just kennel him until. Oh, it's a holiday weekend and all dog-tel cages are booked?"
"Well, couldn't you double him up with another dog?"
"Your brother's dog Bounder? Well, Chad won't mind. That woukd be fine. You will pick my Chad up at 9 am tomorrow," There was hesitation in her voice. "Yes, well if that is the soonest, I guess that will be fine."
"Well, Chad, I guess you're spending the night with me after all," Karen said with distaste.
She walked over and tried to lift the frozen poodle. Then she set him down. Laughed. Then said, "what was I thinking."
Chad whined. He did not like the sound of that. The field house suddenly grew. Chad felt light headed. He could no longer even whine. Karen picked up the tiny stuffed poodle, and hurled it into the nearby open animal crate. As Chad lay there, the horrible thought of him as a stuffed dog with his dog Bounder. That dog destroyed every stuffed toy that Chad gave him within 20 minutes. Karen closed and latched the crate. She looked at it. Heard some voices outside, and headed for the door.
"Hey, could a couple of you strong young men help carry new my poodle to car. The pet shop delivers stuff for my dad's dog here sometimes, and they delivered my new dog here by mistake."
"Sure," answered Rick. A half dozen other football players followed him. "Where's the pooch?"
Karen tapped her device.
Chad stopped being a stuffed poodle and became a real one again. He banged his head, leg and tail as he expanded to his former size. He yelped as he sprang to his four paws and barked madly for help. Hoping that Rick or Rod or Todd or one of the other guys he saw through the mesh cage door of his extra large animal crate.
"Bit big cage for a poodle," remarked Rick.
"Well, it's Father's. His mastiff thinks it's cramped."
"Why is that dog going crazy?" Rod asked.
"Oh, prolly my fault," chuckled Rick pulling a small brown glass bottle out of his pocket. "Remember when coach's dog tried to hump Chad after homecoming?"
"Yeah? But what-"
"My mother breeds poodles. Sometimes the studs need a pheromone boost to get their balls churning. I put some on the seat of Chad's pants then. Planned to do it during practice today, but Chad was a no show."
"Lemme see that," Karen said, as she grabbed the bottle from Rick.
Rick, Todd, Rod, and Jay each took a corner of the crate hefting the dog crate containing yapping Chad on their shoulders.
Karen snapped a couple pix, then led them to her sports car.
"The crate won't fit inside," Rick said.
"Then strap it to the roof," Karen said pointing at her small roof rack.
"Driving on the highway, the wind will blast your dog at 60 or 70 mph," said Todd, "do you want us to put him in the backseat?"
"No, leave him in the crate. My house is nearby, and I won't drive too fast." Karen saw the look on their faces, and added, " Besides dogs love sticking their heads out car windows, and feeling the wind in their fur. Chad will love it."
Todd shrugged.
Rick asked, "Chad?"
"Yes, the poodle breeder named him Chad," Karen said.
Chad paused his incessant barking. Did Karen just refer to his parents as poodle breeders?
"So Karen are you dog-sitting tonight or would you like to go with me to Todd's party," Rick asked.
"No plans. Chad can take care of himself I suspect. I'd love to go with you to Todd's party, Rick. Pick me up at 7:30 pm" Karen replied.
Rick fist pumped the air, after Karen turned away to climb into her car.
A few minutes later, with the crate strapped to the roof of her car, Karen was racing along the highway at 90 mph. Chad was howling like mad.