<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="no"?> <!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.1//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml11/DTD/xhtml11.dtd"> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <head> <title>03Story-14.html</title> <link href="template.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"/> </head> <body> <div id="x03Story-14.html"> <div class="story"> <p id="toc_marker-2-14" class="Level-2-2">Chapter 14</p> <p class="Central-Standard-1"><span class="char-style-override-2">The Cuch Bayley Centre</span></p> <p class="First-Paragraph">Shortly after the Alan Greyman fiasco at the Walk of Fame event Janine heard that he had left the local paper ‘to go into pr’ - that’s public relations to you and me.</p> <p class="Main-Text">“So he’s sold his soul,” Janine said. “Still, I’m just relieved he won’t be at the opening of the new centre.</p> <p class="Main-Text">The Cuch Bayley Centre was due to open at the weekend. Janine was proud to be asked to cut the ribbon and declare the centre open.</p> <p class="Main-Text">But star guest of course was Cuch. Janine was by now well used to being upstaged by a dog.</p> <p class="Main-Text">Cuch’s job would be to dance on the day and entertain the visitors, who would be asked to make a donation or sponsor or cat or dog being housed there. The centre’s new accommodation was now also providing purpose built separate facilities for unwanted/homeless cats.</p> <p class="Main-Text">Janine was looking forward to the day - especially as it would provide another opportunity for her to see the lovely Paul (and to suss out his new girlfriend).</p> <p class="Main-Text">After the official opening visitors would be given a tour of the centre and encouraged to offer a home to one of the many inmates.</p> <p class="Main-Text">When the big day arrived everything went to plan.</p> <p class="Main-Text">The lovely Paul did a speech pointing out that the new centre was all thanks to Cuch bringing happiness to people’s lives.</p> <p class="Main-Text">He said he hoped the centre would be used as a model for others across the country.</p> <p class="Main-Text">“Every town in the country should have a quality rescue centre for dogs and cats,” he said (emphasising the word ‘quality’.</p> <p class="Main-Text">“Let’s see an end to animals kept in poor conditions.”</p> <p class="Main-Text">And everyone cheered.</p> <p class="Main-Text">Janine cut the ribbon to declare the centre open, Cuch danced with joy, then everyone was invited into the building.</p> <p class="Main-Text">The new professional-looking receptionists in their smart uniforms welcomed the visitors, handed out freebies and smiled all day.</p> <p class="Main-Text">By the end of the day over half of the strays had been booked for rehoming, subject to a home visit being carried out.</p> <p class="Main-Text">The day was so busy that Janine had hardly any time to talk to Paul’s new girlfriend. But at the end of the day she managed to find a quiet corner to sit and chat.</p> <p class="Main-Text">His new girlfriend Stacy, who had long, dark hair was chatty and friendly - and she loved animals. Janine and Stacy got on like a house of fire. They exchanged phone numbers and arranged to meet again.</p> <p class="Main-Text">The day also brought in new bookings for Cuch to perform. As well as his stadium appearances he was also booked to dance at all kinds of venues from schools to old people’s homes.</p> <p class="Main-Text">Janine smiled to herself at the thought of pensioners rocking out to AC/DC.</p> <p class="Main-Text">“Still, many rock dudes are pensioners themselves nowadays,” she thought.</p> <p class="Main-Text">And she was thrilled about the school performances because that would mean introducing classic rock to a whole new generation. She knew that for some youngsters there would be a magic moment when they would hear rock music for the first time - and their lives would be changed forever.</p> <p class="Main-Text">She was just thinking about the first time she heard Led Zeppelin as a teenager and the effect it had on her when ... suddenly her daydream was broken by Lucas running towards her shouting, “Mum! Mum! You gotta come and see.”</p> <p class="Main-Text">Tom and Louis were behind him looking breathless and red faced from running.</p> <p class="Main-Text">“What is it?” Janine asked.</p> <p class="Main-Text">“Come quick,” Lucas said. “The centre’s about to close, but you’ve really got to come and see what we’ve found.”</p> <p class="Main-Text">Janine wearily followed the boys who took her down winding corridors into the cattery area.</p> <p class="Main-Text">“Mum! Cuch just loves this cat!” Lucas said. “Watch and see.”</p> <p class="Main-Text">There was the most ordinary looking cat you ever did see. It was all black with a white blaze on its front. Cuch and the cat were nose to nose through the wire mesh of the pen. Cuch’s tail was wagging wildly and he was whimpering as if to say he felt sorry for the cat.</p> <p class="Main-Text">The cat was rubbing its not so attractive face up the mesh and seemed not the least bit disturbed by having a dog staring at it.</p> <p class="Main-Text">“Mum. Can we have her? Can we have her PLEASE?” Lucas said.</p> <p class="Main-Text">The cat started rubbing up and down the pen door, jumping and trying anything to get Janine’s attention.</p> <p class="Main-Text">“Dad says we can if it’s OK with you,” Lucas added.</p> <p class="Main-Text">Somehow, before Janine knew it, they were on their way home with a dog - and a cat - in the car.</p> <p class="Main-Text">The cat was in a carrier on Lucas’s lap and Cuch was peering over his shoulder at his new friend.</p> <p class="Main-Text">“I’ve had a brilliant idea,” Lucas said. “We’ll call her Blaze. She’s got a blaze under her chin - and it’ll be a tribute to Blaze Bayley from Tamworth!</p> <p class="Main-Text">Cuch has got two names so she can have two as well.</p> <p class="Main-Text">“Welcome to our family Blaze Bayley,” he added lifting up the carrier to his face.</p> <p class="Main-Text">Blaze Bayley just stared back nonchalantly. But as it turned out she wasn’t as quiet and good natured as she seemed.</p> </div> </div> </body> </html>