Why Tarantulas Make The Best Stuffed Animals - Karl:Mission 89-2
Turning back to Karl Finn says, “You might want to get some sleep. I hated to do this to you but your flight leaves in 14 hours. I’ll make sure all your stuff is ready. You can take the StuffedZoo car now and I’ll pick it up at the airport tomorrow.”
Only the 2 of us understand the knowing look Finn gives me while providing my escape route. I grab my stuff and get ready to head out the door. V stands rooted to his spot. Disappointment and confusion have replaced the enthusiasm of just a minute ago. There’s a part of me that’s excited…I can tell he cares. Now I just need to sort out my feelings.
I take the two steps over to V and stretch up on my toes to give him a friendly kiss on the cheek. “V, you did a really great job on your first stuffocation. When I get back from this job we’ve got some talking to do. And, by the way, watch out for Finn he can really mess with your life. See you in a week.” I say heading toward the door.
When I get back to my apartment it seems strangely empty; more like an exhibit than someone’s home. I head instantly to the shower. Then I set the alarm for 8 hours and collapse under the organic summer duvet. My mind blanks and I fall into a peaceful sleep.
The alarm startles me awake. I’m disoriented and can’t figure out what I’m doing. Slowly my world starts to refocus. I remember my new assignment and look instinctively toward the front door. As usual, the large orange envelope is on the floor below the mail slot. It makes me feel like someone else is in the room. I’m not ready to open it yet. I turn back toward the kitchen and the thought of a big breakfast.
After food I decide I’m ready to look at the envelope. I pick it up and flip it over to the side with the elephant emblem. Running my finger under the flap the normal set of documents is exposed: mission description, plane ticket, and money. “Ugh!” I say aloud as I read the next destination…Menard, Texas.
My contact is a guy named Beau James that specializes in tarantulas. I can’t help but think “out of the frying pan and into the fire.”
I do the normal last minute rush through the apartment gathering my things. I can already start to feel the building excitement that comes with every mission. Hopping back in the StuffedZoo car I head to the airport and find the drive provides me too much time. Stuck in the early morning LA traffic is the perfect opportunity for my brain to reconnect with thoughts of V that I had successfully avoided for the past 12 hours.
I try to focus on the mission details. There is a small 8 year old girl in Pennsylvania who has had a rough family go. She wrote to Finn about her love of the rare brown-tipped tarantula. Now Finn wants to add this species to our stuffed animal collection (and, of course, send one to the girl.) It’s up to me to make it happen and all I can think about is V…darn!
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