It's that time, Use Your Words, a creative writing challenge where we are given 4-6 random words or phrases two weeks prior to posting. Then we write a story, true or fiction, poem or essays. Each blogger/author has their own style and interpretation of the words. At the end of this post you will find links to the others. Be sure to visit. These ladies are very talented.
It was a rainy February morning. The sun was no where to be found, the rain it seemed had set in the day possibly the whole week.
Zoo staff members were sent to disperse rain gear to those who were out feeding the animals.
Here I stood, cheek to cheek with an ostrich. She was such an obstinate bird. Glaring at me, daring me to make her move. Fine I thought, stupid bird, stand in the rain. But I knew that if I didn't get her in it would be midnight before I was home.
I loved my work here but sometimes I thought maybe I needed my head examined. The work conditions are horrible. Outside in any and all weather. Dirty, smelly, at times pure gross work enviroment, especially if I drew the short stick and had to muck the stalls of the elephants. Eww or deal with these big birds. No one understands how hard of a job it really is. I hear "ooh you work at the zoo? How exciting, all those beautiful animals" blah blah blah
Really people, those of us who are low on the totem pole, well, we much stalls, cut up thousands of pounds of raw meat, vegetables and fruit. Move hundreds of pounds of hay and straw several times a day. It is hard work. Rewarding yes but still hard.
Oh shoot, what was that sound? DAMN the gate! I ran over and sure enough, it was shut tight. Great now I'm locked in. I reached in my pocket just as Gertrude hit my arm with her head. Stupid bird! I yelled but she stomped her feet and ran off into the bush.
Great, now I had to go find her in this enormous enclosure but first I had to get my phone, call the zookeeper and tell him that I was locked in.
I glanced down, wait, where was my phone?! I looked around, kicked some straw out of the way, nothing.
Oh dear sweet mother of pearl, if Gertrude had my phone...
Off I trudged through the thick, following the sound of phone, I had an alarm set and it was going off. Good thing, that meant Gertrude had not swallowed my phone.
The enclosure is huge, it not only houses the ostriches but other non threatening mammals. Well, non threatening to each other, to me that could be a different story. I HAD to find my phone and get the heck out.
Over the trees I could see that the outside flood lights were on at the gate, that meant closing time was at hand. Damn it, I had to get out of here.
YES! There was Gertrude. Standing by a tree, I think that's her. Yes it was, now where was my phone Would I be lucky enough to find it laying at her feet or would she have dropped it somewhere by now.
She ran off, fine, then I hear a laugh. Who is laughing? Ugh...these stupid birds, there sat Jebu on a limb laughing at me I was sure of it. I said "what's so funny Jebu?" and he flew away.
Then I knew what was so funny. Mickey had my phone and was pushing away on it's buttons. Damn it, that lemar is such a pain. I called him, he held the phone up for me to see and took off. Great just what I needed, to chase yet another animal around in the rain. Thankfully it had slackened off but seriously I had no rain gear and was soaked to the bone.
Over the loud speaker I hear " we have a lost child in the zoo, all visitors have exited the park. We need all hands on deck"
OMG a lost child??? How in the heck? WHY would everyone leave? Damn it I needed to get out of here so I could help.
Heading back towards the gate, I gave up on retrieving my phone, I was tired, wet and pissed at myself.
Just as I enter the clearing I heard Bill "SUE, SUE are you in here?" YES YES BILL I'm here!! and I took off running towards the gate. He was giving me that look, you know, the look your mother gives you when she has caught you in a mess. "Hi Bill, I know I know, but I heard the announcement, can we just get out of here and go find the child?"
He looked at me and laughed. What the Sam hill is so funny I thought? He said "Sue, you were lost, not a child, do you think we would make an announcement like that over the intercom? Come on now, you've been here long enough to know better and speaking of knowing better. What is going on with you? Do you have some man who has you so enamored you ain't thinking right?" He laughed, put his arm around my shoulder and said "damn you're soaked".
No shit Sherlock. But I kept that to myself. "yes, yes Bill I am".
"Okay I'll tell ya what, we'll discuss this tomorrow. For now, go home, dry off and get some rest."
I was very thankful. Nodded and headed toward the employee clubhouse to fetch my purse and keys.
What a day! I drove to the closest fast food joint, grabbed some food and home I went. After eating and a long soak in the tub I hit the hay. I do not remember a thing. I slept through the night. I did however have some strange dreams. Dancing cheek to cheek at midnight in the rain with an ostrich. LOL
Your words are:
cheek ~ disperse ~ ostrich ~ midnight ~ rain
Links to the other “Use Your Words” posts:
Baking In A Tornado
Part-Time Working Hockey Mom
