Who I Am || Callie & Branley
Branley didn’t need to be looking at Callie to see nervousness, he could feel it and hear it in her breathing. He was a really happy to have a semi-familiar face for his shadow. Trying to give her a nicer welcome he reached out and gave her shoulder a quick squeeze. “It’s really great to have you here, Callie. If I ever get an extra pair of hands or eyes it’s usually someone I don’t know at all and it’s just a little awkward. This’ll be fun, I promise.”
Blushing at her compliment he shook his head. He knew that the LA Zoo was a great opportunity for him and that he’d beaten out much more qualified applicants because of his dedication and personality, but he was never the type of person to brag. In fact, it wasn’t until he’d truly settled in at the Los Angeles Zoo that he even believed that he was qualified for the job. Now that he’d been there for nearly a year it all simply felt perfectly right for him and knew that, in terms of people shadowing, he could easily express the pros and cons of being a veterinarian at a Zoo.
It was refreshing to have a shadower that wasn’t one hundred percent set on zoos or conservatories. “It’s a good idea to keep your options opened.” He admitted that he hadn’t done so and then added. “As many zoos as there are in the states there’s definitely plenty that don’t treat the animals properly and you end up with a job that’s more than you can chew in a position where you have to make decisions for the zoo to keep your job as opposed to doing something right for an animal. There are plenty of vet jobs in the domestic realm, especially in the south and midwest where there are farms. I liked the idea of getting out of the small town life, but if you’ve been in a city your whole life the calm of it could definitely be a pro…if you’re making a list.”
Laughing he shrugged. “I don’t know, honestly. Sometimes I think it has to do with the fact that we grow up with soft and fuzzy pets and animals. Personally, I just don’t like things with more than a dozen legs. Though, I can say that one of the most interesting zoo stories I ever heard was that there was an octopus or something that went an extremely long time not eating. I’m talking my entire lifetime with no food. Amazing things! I mean, think if scientists could engineer something for humans like that. We could significantly cut back on deforestation and save so many species.” Crinkling his nose he turned his attention to the animals in the habitat and back to his clipboard taking a few notes and moving on.
The shoulder squeeze was reassuring, dispelled the last bits of Callie's nervousness. Branley gave off that friendly atmosphere that instantly put one at ease, having a way of speaking that made it feel like he'd known you forever even if that wasn't the case. It was the exact sort of personality that the blonde girl learned best from, and she was growing more excited by the second, feeling like she'd hit the jackpot when it came to shadowing.
Callie let out a laugh as she followed him. "Oh I have several lists. I'm a list maker, and indecisive to boot which is a dangerous combination." With a thoughtful tilt of her head, she let her hands slip into her pockets as they walked. "See when you're little everyone tries to get you to pick a super decisive path right from the getgo. Humanity is in a hurry, all the time, mostly due to fear, but what we want to latch onto a job and cling fervently. Personally I think it's better to orient yourself towards a field but remain open to all the levels within it. That way you've got back up plans for you back up plans and an open sea of possibilities to explore. In the end as long as I get to work with animals I'll be happy."
Her eyes moved around as they entered the habitat, olive hues trying to take in everything and anything, soaking up the experience like tendrils of sunlight. Eyebrows rose as Branley launched into the octopus story. "My god, that's crazy. But you're right, my god an invention like that would cut down on consumption and all the damage attached to it." With a grin, she waggled her finger in the man's direction. "You know if you don't like things with multiple legs, you would have hated my best friend in elementary school. Her parents studied spiders and they honest to god had like forty of them in their basement."
