Confronted with reality

“So Stacey,” the Director had continued, “I would like to ask you one more time if you’re really sure about the choice you’re making. I mean, Bridget has already been locked up for a few days now, but you’ve been in there just once, and that was with your clothes on!”

“Yes sir, I appreciate that you ask, but I am really sure of it. I hardly got any sleep last night just thinking about this decision and I’m confident I made the right one“, Stacey had said.

“Okay. It’s just that even though I really would like to have the new permanent exhibit, I also appreciate the way you do your job. So if you choose to become part of the new exhibit, we’d also lose a good zookeeper. And I realize that if it doesn’t work out, the zoo may lose out on both. I would hate for that to happen”.

Stacey hadn’t been entirely sure about what he’d meant. But she’d been quite sure that it didn’t really matter.

“I also have to say that you always seemed a little bit timid. And if someone asked me to describe someone who’s the opposite of an exhibitionist, I would think of you. Are you sure the whole nudity part is not going to be a problem? There will be a lot of gawkers, and a lot of videos of you appearing online doing god-knows-what. On top of that, you always appear to be fully in-control of what you’re doing. You’d be giving up a lot of control. I just wanted to make sure that you’re okay with all these things”

Stacey had been aware of all these things. And she’d been a bit on the fence about this. On the one hand it didn’t match with her personality at all. However, on the other hand, it would also be the perfect opportunity to do something entirely different for once. Luckily, she had thought about this, though she’d hesitated to tell the director.

“Yes sir. I am okay with all these things. I understand why you think it might be difficult for me, but I’m sure I’ll manage. Also, I would like to ask to be treated exactly the same as Bridget, no exceptions… Just because I’ve been around longer here at the zoo doesn’t mean that I should get any special treatment.”

In actuality, Stacey didn’t think her being a zoo employee would make any difference. But she had wanted to ensure by asking to be treated exactly the same that whatever they had in store for Bridget, Stacey would also get or have to endure. That way, even when she’d become hesitant or shy, she’d have to push through due to a lack of a different treatment.

“Are you sure you want to be treated exactly the same as Bridget? That if there’s any upfront negotiations to be done, I’ll do them with Bridget only, and you two then have to accept the exact same deal?”, the director had asked with a bit of honest concern in his voice, but also maybe a little authoritative or threatening. As if she wasn’t sure what she was agreeing to or maybe was walking into a trap.

“Yes, sir”, Stacey had said. She tried to sound extra firm, but had to try her hardest not to make it sound like a question. This was the strategy she had been thinking of last night, and she couldn’t just let it slip out of her hands.

“Okay, well, if you insist. That’s then something we can agree on. You get the exact same treatment as Bridget, no exceptions whatsoever”, the director had said. All of a sudden Stacey hadn’t been so sure, but it seemed like a done deal now. Yet at the same time she was rather happy; her strategy had been accepted, albeit under a false pretense, perhaps.

“So what do you need that I need to discard my schedule for, is it just for today?”, Stacey had asked the director.

“No Stacey, it’s not just for today. You’re being relieved of your duties as a zookeeper so you can get your affairs in order.”

“My affairs?”, Stacey had asked. Thinking that she usually heard this phrase only when someone was about to die.

“Well, you’re moving into the zoo, right? So I can imagine that you want to pack up your stuff, arrange for storage or something, and then cancel your rent, or sell your house or apartment. Also I assume you may want to sell your car for example, our zoo exhibits don’t typically drive a car in their enclosure”

“I still live with my parents”, Stacey had blurted out.

As she’d said that, reality had sunk in. She had thought about it, but not very deeply. But at that point it had dawned on her that she really would be moving out of her parents’ place. She would not be driving a car anymore. For the foreseeable future she was limiting her mobility to whatever enclosure she and Bridget were put in, giving up almost all of her autonomy. And even though it was called ‘permanent exhibit’, she could still leave after a while, right? Would she still be able to visit her parents for their birth days? What about her friends? Maybe spend some nights at home, get a day off, perhaps? All of a sudden she had tons of questions and no answers. But she’d decided to keep them to herself for the moment and simply hear the director out.

“Even if you still live with your parents, “, the director had said, “I’m sure there are a lot of things you may want to take care of. None of our exhibits have liability insurance , so that’s something you could cancel, for example”. The director had chuckled slightly, as if this was a really funny example of something that she could think about.

Stacey had realized that there may indeed be a lot of things to take care of. Even though she hadn’t been sure which things, exactly. The few examples the director had given didn’t really help.

She also hadn’t been to sure if she would have to move out of her parents’ place. If this ‘permanent’ exhibit would last for, let’s say, three months then it would be very convenient if her room at her parents’ place was left as-is. However, given how she was 22, this could also be the perfect excuse and/or opportunity to finally move out of her parents’ house once and for all. She’d liked thinking about becoming more independent, but it had always seemed like too much trouble. This could be the trigger that she needed to finally leave the parental nest.

“Maybe just discuss it with your parents. I’m sure they can be of great help for you in this process. In the mean time you are relieved of your duties as a zookeeper, and I would prefer if you didn’t show up at the zoo until the date that you move in.”

“Why?”, Stacey had been genuinely curious. Getting her affairs in order (whatever that may be) could not be that much work, and she knew that there was plenty of work to do and being the loyal employee that she was she’d be happy to help everybody out.

“As I said, to get your affairs in order, “ the director had said patiently. “It also helps your colleagues if there’s some time between you being a zookeeper and you becoming a zoo exhibit that they need to take care for. Call it a transition period, if you will.”

“Alright, if you insist. You mentioned the date of moving in, what date will that be specifically?”, Stacey had asked.

“I expect that to be early next week. But there’s still a large list of things that I need to work out before it can be done, like figuring out the insurance, any sponsorship deals, contracts for you and Bridget, etc. So I can’t give you an exact date, yet”, the director had answered.

It’d made sense to Stacey. And it was okay, it meant that she was getting a small holiday before her next big thing begun.

Stacey had left the chimpanzee enclosure shortly after. She’d taken a shower and retrieved her clothes from her locker. Business as usual, except that it was much earlier in the day than usual and so none of her colleagues had been around. As Stacey had closed her locker she wondered when the next time would be that she’d see it again.