Zoo Call – Daniel 29

 

[For back story go here: Story so far, and maybe this one.]

[Relevant back story links also within text.]

Fish. Not so useful if you ask me. Sure they’re pretty and amazing and wotnot, but what use is a fish? What must it be like to be a fish? At least no one in the company wanted to be a fish. That bloke in accounts said he was a shark but I think he’s flattering himself. I reckon he’s more a tortoise. That’ll teach him. I’ll put him as a tortoise. For slow payment and a tendency to forget to process expenses. Why not?

Guess I’d get in trouble for that. Wendy or someone will go and tell him and that would be it. Guess what the innovation guy thinks you are? OK, never processing his payments again.

Glad we came here. Daisy likes it. Excitement of some of these animals and then chill out with the fish and stuff. If she were an animal she’d be…. A cheeky monkey? Nah, too obvious. Maybe she’d be a flamingo. Gregarious and elegant. Hm. Maybe not. Something unlikely. Duck billed platypus. 

I’m becoming a meerkat. Complete meerkat. Head up constantly. Always looking around, expecting danger or something. Waiting and responding. Darting all over the shop. Their hearts must beat stupidly fast to move that fast. I’m guessing that’s how it works, anyway. They’re just completely on the ball the whole time. Whatever’s happening someone’s got it covered. See that over there, yeah, got it. What about that? Yeah, what about it? Yeah, I’m on it.

The company needs to be like that. Not entirely made of meerkats of course, but we need to be alert and ready and tell each other stuff as quick as possible. If there’s danger coming we have to know it and respond like nothing else. Whatever it is. Can’t afford to sacrifice a small scraggy meerkat to the danger of the outside world, either. Everyone or nothing, no room to leave anyone behind. 

Piranha. Wow, look at the teeth on that. Bet you’d know if that got onto you. Great to have on your side but God help you if they ever going to turn against you. Maybe this animal thing isn’t working. Go back to the old fashioned days of innovation. Reinvent the wheel. 

Daisy of course likes the colourful ones. The ones that look like unicorns and sparkle-creatures. Guess it looks like they’re living in their own dream and sparkly world. If we just lived in our own imaginary world for a while, that would be a bit of a break. Rather relaxing and wonderful I reckon. Although I’m guessing we’d never share those worlds. Everyone in their own, what, cages? Fields? Gold fish bowls? These guys at the zoo seem to have enough room to suit them, but I wonder if we ever will again? Not like we enjoy being tied down. 

But then that’s the weird balance, right? Tied to a desk in an office. Have to turn up there every day if you want to get paid and now? Now you’re encouraged not to be there. Except you can’t just go anywhere, of course. You’ve got to stay home, got to be in your own habitat and not stray into other people’s. Don’t stray into their two metre zone. Give ‘em space and you’ll be safe and wait! Where’s Daisy gone?

Darrrrghhhh! She must be round here somewhere. Can’t have gone far. Not like she’ll be lost in the crowds or…

Damn damn damn why didn’t I keep an eye..? To be fair I was keeping an eye. A very good eye and ear and generally a voice on her as well. Not like me to lose her. Or her to lose me or…. There’ll be some fantastic creature just outside who will have taken her attention and she’ll be there. Waiting for me happy and smiling and.

Ah. Not a fantastic creature, the vending machine. What’s the current etiquette on these things? Can we use them? Has the stock only just gone in? If I get a packet of crisps out do I need to leave therm in my bag untouched for like a couple of days or something? Take them home and wash them. Could wash them in the penguin pool but. That would seem a little counter productive.

Stuff that. Anyway, at times like these one can only do one thing. Produce a pre-packed bag of crisps and hope for the best. If that doesn’t work there’s a Tupperware box of chocolate Krispy cakes.

But I’m not telling her about those yet. I might need them for when the going gets really tough.