The family am I took a few hours this weekend and headed to our local zoo. the summer heat drove most of the animals into their cubbies and shaded areas. that didn't bother me so much because my son still have a good time. I think his favorite part must have been when the goats ate food right from his hands.
While we do not visit this zoo to often due to its smaller size, I still hold a fondness for it. that is what prompted me to check in to working at the zoo as a volunteer. I should mention that this story, apart from the first paragraph, happened about five years ago. this recent trip reminded me of it.
anyway, this was something I was looking forward to. I didn't care what job(s) they wanted me to do, I just wanted to be a part of the zoo and to be around the animal (most of the time I would rather be with animals than humans) I really meant it, i would have shoveled crap, sweeped hay, watered down cages... whatever -I would be their volunteer go to guy.
But first I, an a few other animal loving souls, meet at the zoo in an out of the way room for a rundown of what kind of jobs we would be expected to perform, what hours they needed us, that kind of thing. all in all we spent the better part of an hour there. (all this while my wife and friends held down a table at a nearby bar) the wrapped up the rundown with an unexpected addition.... one that still pisses me off.
And for the life of me I have NEVER heard of something so absurd concerning a group of people who are volunteering to shovel shit for free. They required us to actually purchase a full year membership at the zoo. not a small bump to pay for uniforms or a discounted rate, but a full priced year membership (that must be renewed yearly). I was almost offended at the request.
They justified this by telling us the it was Tax deductible (woop de do) and that this way we were free to visit the zoo whenever we wanted too. (something I doubt any of us would do on our days off)
So I left and joined my wife and friends and bellied up to the ehh table. and regaled then with the situation. I shrugged it off after a few beers with the classic F@#$ it.
And maybe I would have paid up if the yearly membership was not so high or the money went towards uniforms or even if the membership came at a discount.
Looking back, I wonder how far I could have gotten if I paid my dues (literally) for a few years and worked up the ranks. My original goal was to find a full time employment with the zoo, I thought volunteering would be a good way to show them my work ethic and devotion. but now, who knows.
I missed out on a experience that could have lead down many roads all because my stubbornness wouldn't allow me to see beyond the simplest obstacle. Sometimes it is worth that small sacrifice to gain a better understanding and appreciation of the larger sacrifices yet to come.
Have a good evening Steemit. :-)
Image credit - Alexas_Fotos/pixabay