I'm big on the little things. Which is kind of a weird phrase to use, when you think about it... Kind of an oxymoronic phrase, the inclusion of which will make sense later on...
Anyway, today was a very good day. A very very good day indeed. It was so unbelievably good to get back with the centre and to see everyone and meet up with some new guys. I loved being able to get to grips with the animals after such a long time away too. There were some new arrivals and some older hands and it was just great to be able to get in amongst them again. I really miss working with the public, educating them about these animals that I love so much. I don't claim to be any kind of an expert at all, but you'd be surprised at how little people know! Someone pointed at a tiny Kestrel and declared to her daughter "LOOK DARLING, IT'S AN EAGLE." I've seen eagles. They look nothing like Kestrels. It's funny the amount of misinformation, mis-education and general idiocy there is surrounding the natural world; it never ceases to amaze me.
I was able to hop back and forth between the reptiles and the birds which was cool. It meant I got to handle the Ridge-Tailed Monitors a bit more than I did the last time I saw them. I will admit... I think I'm in love and I think I need one. They're gorgeous and placid and just so lovely. How can you not love a monitor lizard that is an easily handleable size?
One of the funniest things that always comes up is the inevitable disgusted remarks about the bird's dinner of choice: day old hatchery chicks. "Ewwww, that's disgusting! They're mean, how can they eat those little chicks!" That's when I get them to stop and think; "You eat chicken don't you? Well, this is no different. You just eat it cleaned and cooked." It's cool to see how many kids are like "you know what... that's actually a really good point. Okay then." The biggest child attractor, though, was Quito the eight foot long Boa Constrictor. Whenever she was out the kids came like flies. :P It was really fun to be like "look it's a huge scary snake" when she'd really never hurt anyone.
But the animals weren't the best part of today. Oh no, meeting up with everyone wasn't the best part of today. You see, at this show there has, in the past, been lunch provided for all the stall holders. Great, I though; That means I don't need to bring a lunch. I arrived at the show and lunch time came around and I saw hog roasts appearing and being handed round. I was watching the birds and so I waited until I could get one later, after people had finished. After a while I went on a nosy and asked if there was any for me. No, there wasn't. None. Not one. Not a crumb. And I had had no breakfast. This was the nightmare scenario; no food in me since the day before, no food that would be provided for me and no money on me so that I could go on the stalk for a chip van. I was going to struggle. And here comes the best part of my day.
Whilst we were packing up at about four, a bloke came wandering over with a big box. Inside said box were bags of free, fresh popcorn. Sweet, warm popcorn to the empty stomach of a big lad like me was absolutely amazing. And here's where that phrase comes in; I'm big on the little things. To everyone else, that was just a bag of popcorn. To me it was life saving, although perhaps not literally... It managed to stave of the hunger a little longer. And the popcorn was actually really, awesomely good; so much so that I had a second bag...
But after a while I began to feel my day without sustenance. My blood sugar dropped, I guess; I just crashed. I'm currently typing this post in a weird haze of sleepy awakeness that is neither here nor there. I guess I should sleep and I will do soon. I am going to have a lazy day tomorrow; I'm doing nothing but chilling, watching dvds, and generally being a master of dossery. I am looking forward to it greatly. And that is all for this post.
Goodnight and until next time, K.B.O.
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