def _slice(self, slicer):
        """ return a slice of my values """

        # slice the category
        # return same dims as we currently have

        if isinstance(slicer, tuple) and len(slicer) == 2:
            if not com.is_null_slice(slicer[0]):
                raise AssertionError("invalid slicing for a 1-ndim "
                                     "categorical")
            slicer = slicer[1]

        return self.values[slicer]