Ladies Love Outlaws
(The Saga of Sheba and Maximilian)

Sheba is a small-town girl, raised in conservative ways. When she
reached adolescence, she met the sophisticated world.

One day, as she was going about her daily duties of housework
involving millers and dust bunnies, Mom's sister came to visit. Auntie
had a guest with her: a handsome blueblood from Siam. Sheba was
mesmerized at his ice blue eyes and cultured behaviour. His name was
Maximilian, Max for short.

A couple months later Mom brought Maximilian home. She had been
utterly charmed by him. Sheba was shy at first, but Max was gentle and
attentive, always deferring to her routine.

After a long, hard winter, Max had wormed his way into everyone's
hearts. He was so debonair and more handsome every day. Sheba was
thoroughly smitten by him. When she thought Mom wasn't looking, she
would flirt shamelessly. Her housework was neglected while she
followed him around with adoring eyes.

When Spring arrived, Max and Sheba joyfully ran outside and she showed
him the neighborhood. They were inseparable as they explored.

Then the real Max began to show. He was a bold fellow. He was bored
with the tame neighborhood around Mom's house. He began to explore the
untamed areas beyond. Sheba was nervous, but followed him faithfully.

Every day they explored farther. And often Max ignored Mom calling
them home until he was ready. Sheba wanted to obey; but Max had her in
thrall. Many times they had to race home to safety after the sun went
down.

The active life they led with all the running made Sheba slim and
trim. But she could never quite catch up to Max unless he let her. He
had longer, more powerful legs.

Max was a gay blade; he took great joy in exploration and was afraid
of nothing. He loved his new life and Sheba was his adoring companion.

One day he went to a dangerous place called The Lake. It had places of
safety on one side. But there were traces of lowlifes after dark.
Sheba was frightened; but Max kept returning, believing himself
invincible.

Max wanted to see the place after dark and meet some lowlifes. He
persuaded Sheba to stay till dusk. But it wasn't enough for him. So
one evening he ignored Mom's call. Mom didn't know where they were and
was very worried and kept calling most of the night.

The next morning Max came in wearily with mud on him and Sheba
trailing behind. Max had met the lowlifes and outrun them to safety.
But Sheba couldn't run so fast. She was injured in the heel and her
tail.

Max ministered to Sheba's hurts when she came back from the doctor.
When Sheba was healed and went back outside, it was during the day
only; and she never left the safety of the neighborhood. Max enticed
her; but she was adamant and often remonstrated with him. She still
adored him; but she had learned her lesson about lowlifes.

Sheba and Max had many happy times at home and nearby; but Max had a
wanderlust in him. Without Sheba by his side, he wandered farther and
stayed out late more and more often; causing a lot of grief for Mom
and Sheba. When he was home, he was a joy to be around.

Then one fall, Max became listless and lost weight. The doctor said he
had a disease he had gotten while very young. It had lain dormant for
a long time. The doctor didn't know why it suddenly became active.

Mom tried to feed him special foods and took him to the doctor all the
time. But nothing helped. He was dying. The doctor said Max was
contagious but separation made Max and Sheba cry in despair. So Mom
left them together. Sheba monitored Max's condition and washed him and
comforted him. She hardly left his side.

The sad day came when Max passed on. Mom took him away and Sheba
looked at his bed and cried pitieously. She was heartbroken. Mom
comforted her as best she could; but it didn't help. Mom cried, too.

Eventually Mom brought another fellow as a companion for Sheba. He was
nice and a lot fun and Sheba liked him a lot. But Max was her One True
Love and she would have no other. They were soulmates and someday they
would be together again.

Now Sheba is middle-aged and heavy in body; but I'm sure she still
dreams of her youth with the love of her life. Max was one of a kind.

by CATherine