Yet another visit to the cougars
Today I'm at Holderness, as usual. I got up early this morning to make sure I got here before the heat (and hopefully before the animals tucker out). I felt good on the drive up and even better once I got here.
I stopped at the Meredith McDonald's to grab some breakfast, and sat for a few seconds in the parking lot debating whether I should wear my ears into the restaurant. I compromised and tucked them into my pocket (they were showing enough that people could see them). No or little reactions. Grabbed my food and sped off to the Science Center.
I never hesitate to wear my ears here (I wonder if it's because it's outdoors?) and got the usual enthusiastic greeting at the ticket window. There were a lot of people here today. Two docents were out with the Saw-whet owl. I stopped to say hello. I got a couple of double-takes before one of them complimented me on my ears. I get the impression that most people pretend not to see them, or they do not want to be rude and compliment me (that I might be offended or embarrassed somehow).
I have never gotten so many compliments on my ears. I ended up behind a small group on the trail down to the chipmunk exhibit, where someone turned around and said "hey, he's got ears!" or something like that. It was meant as a statement, not as a judgement call. I giggled a little and acknowledged. I had the urge to fire off a smile over my shoulder and meow jokingly. I though perhaps she might have thought I was being snide, so I didn't.
Then at the bobcats I ran into two women and a small girl. The women also wove a compliment into their conversation..."look at the bobcats, aren't they just adorable. And we have a cat lover over here as well" or something to that effect. I giggled and admitted that I was a cat lover. "Cat lover!" one of them exclaimed. Not sure how that was meant to come out, but it took it as a compliment.
Of course, the cougars were next. The male was pacing around as usual. He settled down by the left side, under the window and cleaned his paws. He yawned and looked up at me. I was behind him, so he saw me upside-down. He looked, then focused, then looked some more. I can't remember getting this kind of attention from him before. Perhaps I looked weird upside-down with ears on. Or maybe he and I were having a light exchange between males, mammals, or cats. Yet another compliment from a docent.
I volunteered some information about the cougars to some visitors. Here I am playing the role of docent, but not a docent. I've decided that I need to take the training, I need to wear the green shirt and the name tag, and be a part of this rather than being half-visitor, half-volunteer.
The best compliment came at the woodchuck session (I also found out that groundhogs and woodchucks are the same animal). The person leading the session was an intern from Chicago. A zoology student. A little nervous at leading a "classroom" discussion. I wonder how nervous I was making him with my ears? Before the session started, the woman siting in front of me turned around to see who was sitting behind her. She did a classic double-take and said "oh, your ears, how cute!" I musta blushed at that point. I chuckled and a couple of people around me smiled, knowing that I was OK with the attention and I was not embarrassed. The woman said to her (I am guessing) son (who turned around and gave me a great big smile), and said "you saw his ears? I should have worn my ears." I musta been beaming at this point. A wave of realization came over me...oh my goodness, perhaps she's a furry as well?
And yet another couple found me just by the amphitheater on my way to the barred owl presentation. "Look he's got ears. He likes to to blend in with the surroundings." It was all very lighthearted. I shot a giggle and a smile over my shoulder. "But the backpack would give him away instantly." Again I chuckled. Why were so many people being so open with my ears today? Why was this weekend any different than the rest?
Just out of the blue, people were liking them. Complete strangers. Perhaps I was exuding an air of openness after the good news yesterday about the SilverTech job. That's what was different? I do know that I was grinning from ear to ear once I got here, and have had a smile on my face ever since. My steps feel lighter, I'm striking up conversations with strangers, and I'm smiling. What the hell is wrong with me?
I stopped at the Meredith McDonald's to grab some breakfast, and sat for a few seconds in the parking lot debating whether I should wear my ears into the restaurant. I compromised and tucked them into my pocket (they were showing enough that people could see them). No or little reactions. Grabbed my food and sped off to the Science Center.
I never hesitate to wear my ears here (I wonder if it's because it's outdoors?) and got the usual enthusiastic greeting at the ticket window. There were a lot of people here today. Two docents were out with the Saw-whet owl. I stopped to say hello. I got a couple of double-takes before one of them complimented me on my ears. I get the impression that most people pretend not to see them, or they do not want to be rude and compliment me (that I might be offended or embarrassed somehow).
I have never gotten so many compliments on my ears. I ended up behind a small group on the trail down to the chipmunk exhibit, where someone turned around and said "hey, he's got ears!" or something like that. It was meant as a statement, not as a judgement call. I giggled a little and acknowledged. I had the urge to fire off a smile over my shoulder and meow jokingly. I though perhaps she might have thought I was being snide, so I didn't.
Then at the bobcats I ran into two women and a small girl. The women also wove a compliment into their conversation..."look at the bobcats, aren't they just adorable. And we have a cat lover over here as well" or something to that effect. I giggled and admitted that I was a cat lover. "Cat lover!" one of them exclaimed. Not sure how that was meant to come out, but it took it as a compliment.
Of course, the cougars were next. The male was pacing around as usual. He settled down by the left side, under the window and cleaned his paws. He yawned and looked up at me. I was behind him, so he saw me upside-down. He looked, then focused, then looked some more. I can't remember getting this kind of attention from him before. Perhaps I looked weird upside-down with ears on. Or maybe he and I were having a light exchange between males, mammals, or cats. Yet another compliment from a docent.
I volunteered some information about the cougars to some visitors. Here I am playing the role of docent, but not a docent. I've decided that I need to take the training, I need to wear the green shirt and the name tag, and be a part of this rather than being half-visitor, half-volunteer.
The best compliment came at the woodchuck session (I also found out that groundhogs and woodchucks are the same animal). The person leading the session was an intern from Chicago. A zoology student. A little nervous at leading a "classroom" discussion. I wonder how nervous I was making him with my ears? Before the session started, the woman siting in front of me turned around to see who was sitting behind her. She did a classic double-take and said "oh, your ears, how cute!" I musta blushed at that point. I chuckled and a couple of people around me smiled, knowing that I was OK with the attention and I was not embarrassed. The woman said to her (I am guessing) son (who turned around and gave me a great big smile), and said "you saw his ears? I should have worn my ears." I musta been beaming at this point. A wave of realization came over me...oh my goodness, perhaps she's a furry as well?
And yet another couple found me just by the amphitheater on my way to the barred owl presentation. "Look he's got ears. He likes to to blend in with the surroundings." It was all very lighthearted. I shot a giggle and a smile over my shoulder. "But the backpack would give him away instantly." Again I chuckled. Why were so many people being so open with my ears today? Why was this weekend any different than the rest?
Just out of the blue, people were liking them. Complete strangers. Perhaps I was exuding an air of openness after the good news yesterday about the SilverTech job. That's what was different? I do know that I was grinning from ear to ear once I got here, and have had a smile on my face ever since. My steps feel lighter, I'm striking up conversations with strangers, and I'm smiling. What the hell is wrong with me?