The Tiger and the Kitten
Part One
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Paperwork is the most boring thing ever invented by human beings. I think that, if there is a hell, it probably has less fire and more stacks of unfinished reports.
Maybe that's excessive.
"I'm out of ink again," I complained, shaking the pen I was using. I looked up at my partner, sitting at his desk surrounded by the dreaded reports (just like the one I sat at).
Bobby pulled a pen from the pencil holder sitting on the edge of the table. "Next time, don't let the lab interns 'borrow' your stuff. You know how they are about things like pens and paperclips."
"I'll keep that in mind next time they have an inspection," I said, catching the flying pen.
Bobby is a confusing sort of person. Most people are intimidated by him, mostly because of either his height or that borderline-crazy glint in his eyes.
I think a good symbol of who Bobby is would be the tiger. The Siberian tiger is the biggest cat around. They can be seven feet from nose to tail.
They can crush skulls and tear throats out.
A tiger in a cage is like lightning in a plastic jar. No way to get out – but make one false move, unscrew the jar's lid an inch and… zap.
Leashes? Collars? Tranquilizers?
You wanna keep that arm?
A tiger is something most people admire from a distance. Very few come in contact with them – and when they do, they either get eaten or… well, they don't control it. 'Befriend' isn't the right word, either.
Harmonize?
I don't know.
Most people like to keep several concrete walls between themselves and a tiger – and most people like to keep their distance from Bobby. I don't. Even the tiger's handler gets scratched sometimes, but there's still a difference between those who can and those who can't get – stay – close. Those who run and join the onlookers and those who return, to try and earn something they can't have: a tiger's trust.
I sighed and got back to work. Stopped after making the first mark.
"Hey, Bobby."
"Yeah."
"This pen has green ink. The rule is blue or black only."
The tiger can't trust. But you never know, do you?
A/N: Oh, I don't have anything to say, just go on a read part two!