Recognizing the need for some supplies to clean my aquarium I decide to run to a local pet store and pick up a few things. Jungleland Pets is a small store situated in a strip mall that adjoins a Schnuck’s supermarket not far from the house.
The store is a sole proprietorship and there’s usually only one person working there at a given time, although that’s not always the case. I knew before I left the house that Michelle would be working today. As I drove there I figured that I’d try to kill two birds with one stone. No, I wasn’t planning on killing any of the birds in the store; I figured that while I picked up my supplies, maybe I could knock out one of my writing assignments at the same time. My instructor wanted me to interview someone and then summarize it for the whole class to read. Of course I’m thinking, what the heck do I know about interviewing people. I’m not a journalist. What a crazy assignment anyway. Oh well, nothing ventured, nothing gaind I figure; guess I’ll give this a shot.
I’m totally unprepared but as I walk towards the store I mentally dress myself as Howard Cosell figuring I’ll just take the place by storm. Wait a minute; I realize that I don’t have a microphone. And where’s the cameras? Surely Howard wouldn’t go in like this. I ditch the Howard act at the door. Well shoot, now I’m just me again. No mike, no prepared questions. This is going to suck. Oh well, I figure that Lori won’t kick me out of class just because my work stinks. Surely she’s had losers in other classes too. Anyway, she really seems like a nice gal. Maybe she’ll just chuckle at my idiocy. Who knows, she might even think it’s cute or something. I kind of doubt that though.
When I opened the doors I was assailed not only by the constant noise of birds and dogs, but also by the combined smell of all of the animals. Despite the fact that the store is probably only around 1200 square feet, it houses a wide array of reptiles, birds, cats, dogs, and rodents.
The fake electronic bell sounds as the door closes and prompts Michelle to walk from the rear of the store. “Hello Hon,” she says. “Whatcha need?”
I just love the way Michelle always greets me. She seems like such a happy person. “I’m just here to pick up a few things for the aquarium.”
As usual, she’s wearing a colorful smock and a round yellow nametag with a picture of a parrot. Jungleland arches at the top of the tag, Pets in a semi-circle at the bottom, and Michelle’s name just below the parrot’s butt. We know each other pretty well so conversation for us comes easy. She’s been working at the store for around four years and, like many of us out in the work force, her attitude towards her job vacillates from time to time. One day it’s a blessing, the next day it’s a curse. Despite the ups and downs of the job, it’s clear that she takes more pride in her work than any of the other employees, if for no other reason, because she dresses the part and had the special nametag made up for her and everyone else that works there at her own expense. Yet she’s the only one that wears it.
She confesses that she’s not as knowledgeable about the animals as she’d like to be but, despite that, it’s patently clear that she loves being around them. She drags me around the store, first to show me one of the cute little kittens, then we’re in the bird room, from there she points out a new puppy, finally asking me if I’d be interested in one of the new fish. I try to recall an instance in which I’ve walked into the store when she did not take the time to show me at least one of the animals. I can think of none. She always greets me with a warm and friendly smile. We eventually end up at Trotter’s cage.
“Kenny, have you ever heard Trotter sneeze,” she asks as she grabs a peanut from one of the feed bins near the cage. She tempts the huge Macaw with this morsel by holding it between the bars of the cage as she says “Trotter, can you sneeze? Sneeze for me Trotter.”
“shoo” says the huge bird as his head bobs towards his breast. He immediately grabs the peanut from between her fingers with his massive beak. Trotter’s the store mascot. He was there before the current owner and will likely be there for the next, or until the struggling store closes.
Michelle turns to me and laughs, again showing her warm and friendly personality. I laugh with her. As we talk she shares with me that she likes her job but she’s also looking forward to going to school to be a CNA. At one time she had worked in a nursing home and she feels drawn back to a job where she’d be caring once again for people instead of animals. Not to mention that she could make better money than the owner of the store can afford to pay. “I really think it will be rewarding to care for others,” she says.
“You’ll be good at it,” I reply. “And the change will be good for you too.”
The fake electronic bell sounds the entrance of another customer. Michelle walks away. “Can I help you?”
I take the opportunity to grab the supplies I came after and, when I see Michelle is free to check me out, I walk to the counter. We conclude the business transaction as we converse about nothing in particular. She rings me up and then applies her 30% discount to the bill as she always does.
“Thanks Shelly,” I say. “Have a good evening.”
“Bye Hon, see you later.”
As I head out to the truck I wonder how I can turn that exchange into an assignment that comes off like an interview. Man, if only I’d had that mike, I could have gone in with journalist mentality. When I got home I grab my laptop and start slugging at the keys. Before I know it, this appeared. “I guess it could have been worse,” I say to myself just before I hit the submit button.
Just as I’m finishing I hear my wife coming in from the garage. “Hi Hon, I’m home,” she says.
“Hi Shelly, how was your day?”