greatness in the making

No. What’s your favorite animal?

Cheetah.

You make it sound like fish are nothing more than shark food.

Some of them are just that, aren’t they?

You make it sound like fish are nothing more than shark food.

That’s what most of them kind of are.

Oh my god. 

What?

Why do you think that?

Food chain. Something eats the fish. Something bigger eats that fish. So on. Sharks end up on the top. Until we interfere that is.

I like fish. They mind their own business. They get to just live underwater and not have to deal with, like. This. Life. They just swim around and can live their lives. I wish I could just swim around and do my own thing and, like, have my head below the surface all the time. Blocks everything bad out. 

I think even fish have their problems. 

Why fish? Like, why do I like them? 

Yeah. You know, you have dog people and cat people and-- other kinds of animal people, but why fish for you?

Well, true, although most first-time parents are a little more willing to take some advice, and accept it is a pretty difficult job, as opposed to first-time pet owners who think it is simple, to the point of allowing their six year-old to have sole care of a rabbit. True story. Not a good idea.

I am. I do love it, despite my complaining. How about you? Have you found what you love to do yet?

Everyone has the right to complain every now and again even if they love it. I get it. And no, I haven’t. I just work as an assistant right now. Still working on finding that one right thing, though. 

Let’s find the sharks.

They should be easy to find. 

If you say so. Some of them are only little.

People generally hate being told that they are not looking after their pet in the best way. Even if their cat is obese or their dog’s teeth are so covered in enamel that he can barely eat. There will always be an excuse and a reason why their way is best. Plus, of course, vets are only out to make money out of things which are not real problems. Not to look out for the welfare of animals or anything.

For some people, I imagine that’s a bit like being told they aren’t looking after their kid properly. Not that everyone should be having kids in the first place, mind. Or pets as the case may be.

Try eight.

Oh, yes I much prefer working with animals. Of course, as a vet you end up working with the people too, and some owners can be quite… difficult. That is probably the most frustrating part of the job, is when a pet comes in and you just know that if they had been with a different owner, they would have been fine.

Fuck’s sake. That is a lot.

Don’t talk dirty to me in public, geeze. 

Sorry, I’ll try to contain myself. 

Can’t be that hard. I bet there’s some kind of neat physics word that’s got, like. A cool sound or meaning or both. 

Suppose so. Centripetal, electromagnetic, quanta, Faraday, radioactive, thermodynamics– 

That depends on your definition of loads. I work with animals, as well.

More than three? 

You’re joking. 

You would be surprised. I think he would mind a little. People often underestimate how much animals understand.

Sounds like you don’t.