Never Stop Counting

(a)part

24 October 2024

(JULIA'S P.O.V)

College is amazing! It's so much better for me to specialise in the direction I want to go into. Even the people are more friendlier than those in high school, no-one wants to start drama and they do not care about their appearances. For the first few months they did, but after a while they realised they are not getting any attention and finally stopped trying.

I even love the course I'm in. I have learnt so much about how to treat animals if they have a sore foot, or how to give them surgery if, per say, they have something in their tummies. The sad part is that they told us how many millilitres of local anasthetic to use on said animal based on their weight and age.

However, part of my studies include that I have to go work at vets close to me for a certain amount of hours. That is where I am today. I am doing my fair share of hours at Rodney's Pets.

I have to clean certain cages (today I have to clean the hamster, bird, fish and snake cages) and I have to help people navigate around the store, give them recommendations about which pet to take into their beautiful home and also make a few successful transfers of money to a pet I grew fond of.

Today, while moving from the hamster to the bird cage, I noticed that some of the pups want to go play with Rodney's pet dog. They were clawing away at the barred iron 'wall' between them and Young, Rodney's dog.

Now, Rodney's dog is called Young for a very specific reason. Young is Rodney's oldest dog to date. When Young was close to seventeen years old, he had a blood clot in his heart and as a last meal, Rodney gave him a double decker burger. Young was so happy about that burger that he jumped up, basically shook away his blood clot, and lived for another five years.

As a memorial, Young now has his own cage and 'roof' over his head. This 'roof' contains the words 'House of Young' with an additional water bowl with the words 'Water of Youth' instead of the burger, because a worker at a opposing restaurant came up to him and said that it was unfair, making people believe that a certain burger contains magical powers to release people from the slavery of sickness.

Rodney then made it a water bowl for two reasons. One, to cancel out any discrimination to burger restaurants, and two, to continue the age old reference to the Fountain of Youth.

"Waawwww" a pup cried out. He really wants to go play with Young.

"Alright, you lil' one, have patience" I gave the four needy ones a push to help them over the railing.

They immediately went to Young and started licking his face. Young realised the affection he was getting and licked one of the pups. With his big tongue he pushed over the pup but his brother cushioned some of the fall.

Another pupper was busy climbing Young's face to get to the "Water of Young". Since that is all hokum that Rodney made up, I left her be.

With one fluffy, adorable paw she stepped on the side of the bowl and accidentally spilled all of the contents over poor Young, who was busy adoring the pups.

It didn't seem like Young minded, as he was enjoying being lathered in all this attention and love. Giggling at all of this cuteness, I stood up to continue my journey to the bird cage.

Sweepety sweep, all the poop in the corner. I can get lost in my own world while I am busy with something, it can actually be seen as a horrible trait, but I like the randomness of it all and what I can come up with.

One thing is for sure, there is always a song stuck in my head. This one reminds me of someone I am very fond of and, quite frankly, someone who I am really missing now.

"Despite the lies that you're making, your love is mine for the taking. My love is just waiting to turn your tears to roses. No, you'll never be alone, when darkness comes I'll light the night with stars, I'll never fall in the whispers in the dark"

Grabbing the broom and flinging it up as if I am dancing with someone, I almost hit one of the birdies, whose battle cry brought me back to earth.

"Cheep, cheep" the little parakeet screetched in my ear.

"Argh, sorry buddy, I was on cloud nine. Here you go, a little something that I hope will make you forgive me."

I gave the parakeet his daily food and after the cockatiel saw what I was doing, she immediately flew over and started eating along with her pal.

Songs of different birds started ringing in my ears, bouncing from one side of my head to the other.

I'll have to get used to this if I want to go work out in the open.