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“Coming Ott” by Geo Holms
Jaye is waiting in their car for their friend, who is coming out to their family about who he really is, a North American River Otter, and assist in untangling the aftermath.
Today’s story is “Coming Ott” by Geo Holms, who is a raccoon from the internet occasionally writing quirky tales, where inevitably some character is turned from one thing into another. You can find his tales on his FurAffinity @ GeoHolms, along with his collab tales written with a certain spiffin’ bard fox (and maybe others).
Read for you by Rob MacWolf — werewolf hitchhiker.
thevoice.dog | Apple podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts
If you have a story you think would be a good fit, you can check out the requirements, fill out the submission template and get in touch with us.
https://thevoice.dog/episode/coming-ott-by-geo-holms
Transcript
You’re
Speaker:listening
Speaker:to
Speaker:Pride
Speaker:Month
Speaker:on
Speaker:The
Speaker:Voice
Speaker:of
Speaker:Dog.
Speaker:This
Speaker:is
Speaker:Rob
Speaker:MacWolf,
Speaker:your
Speaker:fellow
Speaker:traveler,
Speaker:and
Speaker:Today’s
Speaker:story
Speaker:is “Coming
Speaker:Ott”
Speaker:by
Speaker:Geo
Speaker:Holms, who is
Speaker:a
Speaker:raccoon
Speaker:from
Speaker:the
Speaker:internet
Speaker:occasionally
Speaker:writing
Speaker:quirky
Speaker:tales,
Speaker:where
Speaker:inevitably
Speaker:some
Speaker:character
Speaker:is
Speaker:turned
Speaker:from
Speaker:one
Speaker:thing
Speaker:into
Speaker:another.
Speaker:You
Speaker:can
Speaker:find
Speaker:his tales on his FurAffinity @ GeoHolms,
Speaker:along
Speaker:with
Speaker:his
Speaker:collab
Speaker:tales
Speaker:written
Speaker:with
Speaker:a
Speaker:certain
Speaker:spiffin’
Speaker:bard
Speaker:fox (and
Speaker:maybe
Speaker:others).
It
has
Speaker:been
Speaker:some time
Speaker:theorized
Speaker:that
Speaker:the
Speaker:root
Speaker:of
Speaker:queerphobia
Speaker:is
Speaker:a
Speaker:parent’s
Speaker:fear
Speaker:of
Speaker:not
Speaker:knowing
Speaker:their
Speaker:child.
Speaker:For
Speaker:how
Speaker:easily
Speaker:does
Speaker:this
Speaker:engender
Speaker:an
Speaker:insistence
Speaker:on
Speaker:control
Speaker:over
Speaker:one’s
Speaker:offspring,
Speaker:a
Speaker:demand
Speaker:that
Speaker:we
Speaker:never
Speaker:turn
Speaker:out
Speaker:to
Speaker:be,
Speaker:or
Speaker:become,
Speaker:anything
Speaker:that
Speaker:our
Speaker:parents
Speaker:did
Speaker:not
Speaker:foresee.
Speaker:While
Speaker:it
Speaker:is
Speaker:a
Speaker:natural
Speaker:instinct
Speaker:for
Speaker:a
Speaker:parent
Speaker:to
Speaker:feel
Speaker:they
Speaker:know
Speaker:their
Speaker:child,
Speaker:it
Speaker:is
Speaker:simple
Speaker:enough
Speaker:to
Speaker:counter
Speaker:that
Speaker:nobody
Speaker:can
Speaker:ever
Speaker:know
Speaker:any
Speaker:child,
Speaker:any
Speaker:person,
Speaker:as
Speaker:well
Speaker:as
Speaker:that
Speaker:child,
Speaker:that
Speaker:person,
Speaker:knows
Speaker:themselves.
Speaker:And
Speaker:should
Speaker:that
Speaker:child,
Speaker:that
Speaker:person,
Speaker:say “I
Speaker:am
Speaker:this”
Speaker:or “I
Speaker:am
Speaker:thus,”
Speaker:there
Speaker:is
Speaker:nobody,
Speaker:not
Speaker:even
Speaker:parents,
Speaker:who
Speaker:has
Speaker:the
Speaker:right
Speaker:to
Speaker:say “no
Speaker:you
Speaker:aren’t.”
Please
enjoy
“Coming
Ott” by Geo Holms
Jaye tapped their fingers on the
steering
Speaker:wheel
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:music,
Speaker:mouthing
Speaker:along
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:words
Speaker:of
Speaker:a
Speaker:familiar
Speaker:song
Speaker:that
Speaker:retained
Speaker:its
Speaker:magic
Speaker:no
Speaker:matter
Speaker:how
Speaker:many
Speaker:times
Speaker:played.
Around
the
Speaker:lyrics "...amazing
Speaker:things;
Speaker:That
Speaker:can
Speaker:come
Speaker:from,
Speaker:some
Speaker:terrible
Speaker:nights..."
Speaker:the
Speaker:passenger
Speaker:door
Speaker:opened
Speaker:and
Speaker:a
Speaker:North
Speaker:American
Speaker:River
Speaker:Otter
Speaker:slipped
Speaker:into
Speaker:the seat, closing the door behind it. Jaye
Speaker:turned
Speaker:down
Speaker:the
Speaker:music
Speaker:to
Speaker:low
Speaker:volume.
“Drive,”
the
Speaker:otter
Speaker:said
Speaker:in his squeaky
Speaker:voice.
Jaye
gave the
Speaker:otter a
Speaker:look.
The
otter
Speaker:gave
Speaker:a
Speaker:cool
Speaker:look
Speaker:up at Jaye.
“Please,
drive.”
“No,
not
Speaker:that,”
Speaker:they
Speaker:made
Speaker:an
Speaker:across
Speaker:the
Speaker:shoulder
Speaker:and
Speaker:snapping-in
Speaker:gesture.
“Really?”
“Safety
first.”
Begrudgingly,
the
Speaker:otter
Speaker:slipped
Speaker:on
Speaker:the
Speaker:seat belt.
Speaker:Jaye
Speaker:had
Speaker:installed
Speaker:one to fit
Speaker:small-to-medium
Speaker:dog
Speaker:seat belt
Speaker:attachments
Speaker:exactly
Speaker:for
Speaker:this
Speaker:occasion,
Speaker:and
Speaker:they’d
Speaker:help
Speaker:the
Speaker:otter
Speaker:get
Speaker:hooked
Speaker:in
Speaker:if
Speaker:necessary,
Speaker:but
Speaker:he
Speaker:seemed
Speaker:to
Speaker:handle
Speaker:it
Speaker:well
Speaker:enough
Speaker:most
Speaker:times.
Jaye
looked
Speaker:over at
Speaker:the
Speaker:house
Speaker:the
Speaker:otter
Speaker:had
Speaker:entered
Speaker:twenty-something
Speaker:minutes
Speaker:before.
Speaker:They
Speaker:thought
Speaker:they
Speaker:saw a
Speaker:curtain
Speaker:move at
Speaker:the
Speaker:bay
Speaker:window,
Speaker:perhaps
Speaker:suggesting someone
Speaker:peeking
Speaker:out.
Speaker:If
Speaker:they
Speaker:saw
Speaker:Jaye’s
Speaker:janky
Speaker:Honda
Speaker:Fit
Speaker:so be it.
“Now,
can
Speaker:you
Speaker:drive,
Speaker:please?”
“Sure
thing,”
Speaker:they
Speaker:said,
Speaker:giving
Speaker:a
Speaker:salute
Speaker:before
Speaker:pulling
Speaker:out
Speaker:into
Speaker:the
Speaker:street,
Speaker:away
Speaker:from
Speaker:the
Speaker:house.
Speaker:They
Speaker:rode
Speaker:in
Speaker:silence
Speaker:for
Speaker:a
Speaker:few
Speaker:minutes.
Speaker:Jaye
Speaker:drove
Speaker:with
Speaker:no
Speaker:real
Speaker:direction
Speaker:in
Speaker:mind,
Speaker:waiting
Speaker:for
Speaker:a
Speaker:cue
Speaker:from
Speaker:the
Speaker:otter.
Speaker:Eventually,
Speaker:Jaye
Speaker:tossed
Speaker:out
Speaker:a
Speaker:question
Speaker:without
Speaker:knowing
Speaker:it
Speaker:would
Speaker:garner
Speaker:a response.
Speaker:They
Speaker:kept
Speaker:their
Speaker:expectations
Speaker:measured. “How’d it
Speaker:go?”
The
otter
Speaker:huffed
Speaker:and
Speaker:gave
Speaker:something
Speaker:like a
Speaker:growl
Speaker:and
Speaker:then
Speaker:a
Speaker:sigh. “You
Speaker:can’t
Speaker:guess?”
“Sure,
I
Speaker:could
Speaker:guess,
Speaker:but
Speaker:not
Speaker:sure
Speaker:if
Speaker:you
Speaker:want
Speaker:to
Speaker:be
Speaker:subjected
Speaker:to
Speaker:my
Speaker:charming
Speaker:sense
Speaker:of
Speaker:humor
Speaker:mixed
Speaker:with
Speaker:imagination.
Speaker:Unless
Speaker:you
Speaker:want to
Speaker:hear
Speaker:something involving kraken.”
This got a squeaky chuckle
from
Speaker:the
Speaker:otter. “I
Speaker:kinda
Speaker:do
Speaker:actually.
Speaker:However…I’ll
Speaker:tell
Speaker:you…just
Speaker:give
Speaker:me
Speaker:a
Speaker:few
Speaker:minutes.”
“Sure
thing,
Speaker:Skipper.”
“I
told
Speaker:you
Speaker:to
Speaker:stop
Speaker:calling
Speaker:me
Speaker:that.”
“But
you
Speaker:get
Speaker:so
Speaker:squirmy
Speaker:when
Speaker:I do.
Speaker:I
Speaker:think
Speaker:you
Speaker:like
Speaker:it.”
“Not
the
Speaker:point.”
“OK,
fine
Speaker:Gerard.”
“Jaye.”
“Gerry.
I’m
Speaker:done,
Speaker:I
Speaker:promise.”
The
car
Speaker:went
Speaker:quiet,
Speaker:except
Speaker:for
Speaker:the
Speaker:low
Speaker:volume
Speaker:of
Speaker:Jaye’s
Speaker:Magic
Speaker:Mix
Speaker:still
Speaker:playing
Speaker:over
Speaker:the
Speaker:speakers
Speaker:and
Speaker:the
Speaker:occasional
Speaker:semi-concerning
Speaker:car
Speaker:sound.
Eventually,
Gerry
Speaker:spoke, “You
Speaker:know
Speaker:what
Speaker:really
Speaker:sucks?
Speaker:You
Speaker:know
Speaker:the
Speaker:reason
Speaker:that I
Speaker:wanted
Speaker:to
Speaker:do
Speaker:this?
Speaker:It
Speaker:wasn’t
Speaker:the
Speaker:lying
Speaker:about
Speaker:it
Speaker:or
Speaker:trying
Speaker:to
Speaker:hide
Speaker:that
Speaker:I
Speaker:was
Speaker:no
Speaker:longer
Speaker:human
Speaker:or
Speaker:the
Speaker:guilt
Speaker:or
Speaker:anything
Speaker:like
Speaker:that.
Speaker:The
Speaker:reason that
Speaker:I
Speaker:wanted
Speaker:to
Speaker:tell
Speaker:my
Speaker:parents is
Speaker:that it
Speaker:hurt
Speaker:me
Speaker:so
Speaker:much to
Speaker:not
Speaker:share
Speaker:something
Speaker:that
Speaker:made
Speaker:me
Speaker:happy.
Speaker:You
Speaker:know?”
Jaye
nodded,
Speaker:taking another
Speaker:turn.
The
otter
Speaker:sighed,
Speaker:looking
Speaker:out
Speaker:the
Speaker:passenger
Speaker:window. “I knew
Speaker:this would
Speaker:happen. I mean,
Speaker:I
Speaker:hoped
Speaker:wouldn’t,
Speaker:but
Speaker:I
Speaker:knew.
Speaker:Just
Speaker:the
Speaker:way
Speaker:my
Speaker:mom’s
Speaker:been
Speaker:talking
Speaker:about
Speaker:it.
Speaker:Being
Speaker:really
Speaker:weird
Speaker:about
Speaker:it.
Speaker:You
Speaker:know,
Speaker:a
Speaker:few
Speaker:months
Speaker:back,
Speaker:she was
Speaker:going
Speaker:on
Speaker:about,
Speaker:like,
Speaker:this
Speaker:celebrity
Speaker:or
Speaker:someone
Speaker:who
Speaker:beat
Speaker:up
Speaker:their
Speaker:girlfriend,
Speaker:and
Speaker:then
Speaker:said,
Speaker:it
Speaker:was
Speaker:almost
Speaker:as
Speaker:bad
Speaker:as
Speaker:that
Speaker:politician who
Speaker:turned
Speaker:into
Speaker:a
Speaker:grizzly
Speaker:bear.
Speaker:Like,
Speaker:I
Speaker:always
Speaker:kinda knew she had opinions on
Speaker:this sorta
Speaker:thing,
Speaker:but
Speaker:that
Speaker:sorta
Speaker:set
Speaker:the
Speaker:realization
Speaker:that
Speaker:she’d
Speaker:never
Speaker:take
Speaker:this
Speaker:well.”
“I
know.
Speaker:I’m
Speaker:sorry.”
Some
more
Speaker:minutes
Speaker:passed
Speaker:as Jaye kept
Speaker:driving
Speaker:down
Speaker:nondescript
Speaker:roads,
Speaker:their
Speaker:destination
Speaker:clearer.
Gerry
spoke
Speaker:again. “She’s
Speaker:suspected
Speaker:something’s
Speaker:been
Speaker:up
Speaker:for
Speaker:weeks, and
Speaker:me
Speaker:arriving
Speaker:being…this,
Speaker:just
Speaker:solidified
Speaker:all
Speaker:her
Speaker:fears
Speaker:and gave them
Speaker:foundation,
Speaker:something
Speaker:to
Speaker:build
Speaker:her
Speaker:anger
Speaker:off.
Speaker:And…it
Speaker:got
Speaker:bad
Speaker:pretty
Speaker:quick.
Speaker:Thanks
Speaker:for
Speaker:coming
Speaker:along, I
Speaker:kinda
Speaker:hoped
Speaker:I
Speaker:didn’t
Speaker:need
Speaker:an
Speaker:escape
Speaker:route,
Speaker:but
Speaker:glad
Speaker:for you
Speaker:providing one.”
“No
problem,
Speaker:rudderbutt.
Speaker:You
Speaker:could
Speaker:never
Speaker:quite
Speaker:know
Speaker:how
Speaker:this
Speaker:would
Speaker:play
Speaker:out.
Speaker:I
Speaker:was
Speaker:ready
Speaker:to
Speaker:come
Speaker:in
Speaker:and
Speaker:retrieve
Speaker:you
Speaker:if
Speaker:needed.
Speaker:Could
Speaker:have
Speaker:ended
Speaker:up
Speaker:in
Speaker:a
Speaker:pet
Speaker:carrier
Speaker:or
Speaker:something.”
“…has
that
Speaker:happened
Speaker:before.”
“Urm.
Maybe.
Speaker:I
Speaker:did
Speaker:do
Speaker:some
Speaker:research
Speaker:before.
Speaker:People
Speaker:can
Speaker:have
Speaker:some
Speaker:weird
Speaker:reactions
Speaker:when
Speaker:they
Speaker:find
Speaker:out
Speaker:their
Speaker:loved
Speaker:one
Speaker:wants
Speaker:to
Speaker:be
Speaker:something
Speaker:besides
Speaker:human.”
Some
more
Speaker:silence. Jaye
Speaker:wondered
Speaker:if
Speaker:they
Speaker:should
Speaker:have
Speaker:said
Speaker:that.
Gerry
continued, “Something
Speaker:funny
Speaker:though.
Speaker:Well, maybe
Speaker:not
Speaker:funny
Speaker:funny,
Speaker:but
Speaker:still.
Speaker:My
Speaker:mom
Speaker:insisted
Speaker:I
Speaker:turned
Speaker:into
Speaker:an
Speaker:otter
Speaker:to
Speaker:wreck
Speaker:her
Speaker:birthday
Speaker:party
Speaker:happening
Speaker:next
Speaker:week.”
“Seriously?”
“I
don’t
Speaker:think
Speaker:she
Speaker:was
Speaker:thinking
Speaker:straight
Speaker:and was
Speaker:just
Speaker:taking
Speaker:whatever
Speaker:she
Speaker:had
Speaker:at
Speaker:her
Speaker:disposal.
Speaker:Still,
Speaker:a
Speaker:pretty
Speaker:wild
Speaker:swing
Speaker:there,
Speaker:right?”
“Totally
crazy.”
“I’m
prepping
Speaker:myself
Speaker:for
Speaker:some
Speaker:really
Speaker:awkward
Speaker:calls
Speaker:and
Speaker:emails
Speaker:later.
Speaker:I
Speaker:don’t
Speaker:know,
Speaker:maybe
Speaker:I
Speaker:should
Speaker:have
Speaker:hid
Speaker:this
Speaker:until
Speaker:I
Speaker:moved
Speaker:to
Speaker:Duluth. Done
Speaker:this
Speaker:via
Speaker:webcam
Speaker:or
Speaker:something.
Speaker:But
Speaker:then
Speaker:I
Speaker:thought
Speaker:she’d
Speaker:think
Speaker:it
Speaker:was
Speaker:a
Speaker:prank
Speaker:or
Speaker:something.
Speaker:Much
Speaker:harder
Speaker:to
Speaker:deny
Speaker:that
Speaker:your
Speaker:son
Speaker:is
Speaker:a
Speaker:big
Speaker:water-adapted
Speaker:mustelid
Speaker:when
Speaker:he’s
Speaker:standing
Speaker:in
Speaker:your
Speaker:living
Speaker:room.
Speaker:You
Speaker:know,
Speaker:they
Speaker:didn’t
Speaker:even
Speaker:let
Speaker:me
Speaker:show
Speaker:off
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:tub?”
“Did
you
Speaker:expect
Speaker:them
Speaker:to?”
“No. But kinda wanted
to. Just
Speaker:to
Speaker:show
Speaker:how
Speaker:easily
Speaker:I
Speaker:can
Speaker:move
Speaker:through
Speaker:water.
Speaker:Sure, in the
Speaker:limited
Speaker:space
Speaker:of
Speaker:a
Speaker:tub
Speaker:would
Speaker:totally
Speaker:not
Speaker:show
Speaker:off
Speaker:my
Speaker:full
Speaker:swimming
Speaker:prowess, but it
Speaker:would
Speaker:get
Speaker:the
Speaker:point
Speaker:across.”
“Absolutely
would. I’ve
Speaker:seen
Speaker:you
Speaker:in
Speaker:a
Speaker:tub.
Speaker:Wild
Speaker:swim
Speaker:skillz
Speaker:with
Speaker:a
Speaker:z.
Speaker:Multiple
Speaker:z’s
Speaker:even.”
They
both
Speaker:laughed at
Speaker:this.
"Would
a
Speaker:fish
Speaker:tank
Speaker:have worked
Speaker:better
Speaker:to
Speaker:show off
Speaker:swimming
Speaker:skillz?"
"Depends
on
Speaker:size
Speaker:of the
Speaker:fish tank."
Jaye
turned on
Speaker:blinker
Speaker:and
Speaker:made
Speaker:another
Speaker:turn.
"The
average
Speaker:pet
Speaker:fish
Speaker:good
Speaker:eating?"
"Jaye.
What
Speaker:the
Speaker:hell? I wouldn't
Speaker:eat
Speaker:anyone's
Speaker:pet
Speaker:fish.
Speaker:Why
Speaker:would
Speaker:you
Speaker:ask
Speaker:that?
Speaker:Do you
Speaker:think
Speaker:I'd
Speaker:do
Speaker:that?
Speaker:I'm
Speaker:not just
Speaker:some
Speaker:feral
Speaker:otter." Gerry
Speaker:huffed
Speaker:and
Speaker:crossed
Speaker:his
Speaker:forelimbs. Or at
Speaker:least
Speaker:that's
Speaker:what
Speaker:Jaye
Speaker:thought
Speaker:they
Speaker:were
Speaker:doing.
Speaker:Otter forelimbs
Speaker:weren't
Speaker:quite
Speaker:functional
Speaker:enough
Speaker:or
Speaker:long
Speaker:enough
Speaker:for
Speaker:the
Speaker:gesture.
Jaye
stopped the
Speaker:car
Speaker:at a
Speaker:light.
"Totally
been
Speaker:curious
Speaker:though,
Speaker:eh?"
"Yes!
Phil's
Speaker:Hunting
Speaker:and
Speaker:Fishing
Speaker:Supplies has
Speaker:a
Speaker:huge
Speaker:fish
Speaker:tank
Speaker:and
Speaker:I
Speaker:couldn't
Speaker:stop
Speaker:watching
Speaker:those glistening
Speaker:little
Speaker:morsels
Speaker:swimming
Speaker:about, my webbed
Speaker:paws
Speaker:against
Speaker:the
Speaker:glass.
Speaker:I
Speaker:think
Speaker:I
Speaker:was
Speaker:drooling
Speaker:or
Speaker:looking
Speaker:too
Speaker:hungry
Speaker:because
Speaker:an
Speaker:employee
Speaker:had
Speaker:to
Speaker:politely
Speaker:ask
Speaker:me
Speaker:to
Speaker:move
Speaker:on. They
Speaker:looked
Speaker:like
Speaker:little
Speaker:colorful
Speaker:popcorn
Speaker:fish
Speaker:poppers and
Speaker:just
Speaker:wanted
Speaker:to
Speaker:sample
Speaker:them
Speaker:all."
Jaye
and
Speaker:Gerry
Speaker:were
Speaker:reduced
Speaker:to
Speaker:laughing
Speaker:again.
Reflective
calm
Speaker:settled
Speaker:again,
Speaker:Gerry
Speaker:looking
Speaker:out
Speaker:at
Speaker:passing
Speaker:trees.
“Did
your
Speaker:dad
Speaker:say
Speaker:anything?”
Speaker:Jaye
Speaker:ventured.
“Naw.
Not a thing.
Speaker:Just
Speaker:stared
Speaker:and
Speaker:looked
Speaker:really
Speaker:grim.
Speaker:Who
Speaker:knows
Speaker:what
Speaker:that
Speaker:means.
Speaker:Maybe
Speaker:he’ll
Speaker:be
Speaker:chill?
Speaker:Maybe
Speaker:he’s
Speaker:scared
Speaker:to
Speaker:say
Speaker:anything
Speaker:because
Speaker:of
Speaker:my
Speaker:mom?
Speaker:Maybe
Speaker:he
Speaker:has
Speaker:same
Speaker:opinion
Speaker:as my
Speaker:mom?
Speaker:There’s
Speaker:no
Speaker:way
Speaker:to
Speaker:know,
Speaker:honestly.
Speaker:He’s
Speaker:never
Speaker:said
Speaker:anything
Speaker:about
Speaker:it.
Speaker:I
Speaker:think
Speaker:a
Speaker:co-worker
Speaker:of
Speaker:his
Speaker:turned into a
Speaker:capybara?
Speaker:And,
Speaker:he
Speaker:mentioned
Speaker:it,
Speaker:but
Speaker:didn’t
Speaker:say
Speaker:anything
Speaker:about
Speaker:it,
Speaker:you
Speaker:know?”
“I
think
Speaker:I
Speaker:do.
Speaker:Yeah, who knows,
Speaker:maybe
Speaker:he’ll
Speaker:surprise
Speaker:you.”
"Yeah.
Who
Speaker:knows,"
Speaker:he
Speaker:said, "You
Speaker:know
Speaker:even
Speaker:was
Speaker:gonna
Speaker:go
Speaker:through
Speaker:how
Speaker:you
Speaker:could
Speaker:tell
Speaker:what
Speaker:kind
Speaker:of
Speaker:otter
Speaker:I
Speaker:was.
Speaker:From
Speaker:my
Speaker:muzzle
Speaker:shape
Speaker:and
Speaker:my webbed
Speaker:paws
Speaker:and
Speaker:tail
Speaker:and
Speaker:fur..."
"You
can
Speaker:run
Speaker:me
Speaker:through
Speaker:that
Speaker:later. You're
Speaker:like
Speaker:an
Speaker:Asian
Speaker:small
Speaker:clawed
Speaker:river
Speaker:otter,
Speaker:right?"
"I
know
Speaker:you're
Speaker:joking."
"I
can't
Speaker:help
Speaker:it.
Speaker:Eurasian
Speaker:river
Speaker:otter?"
"I
will
Speaker:bite
Speaker:you."
The
otter's
Speaker:indignant
Speaker:ire
Speaker:was
Speaker:interrupted
Speaker:by
Speaker:the
Speaker:crunch
Speaker:of
Speaker:gravel
Speaker:as
Speaker:Jaye
Speaker:pulled
Speaker:off
Speaker:the
Speaker:road
Speaker:and
Speaker:came to
Speaker:a stop,
Speaker:putting
Speaker:the
Speaker:car
Speaker:in
Speaker:park.
“Where
are
Speaker:we?”
Speaker:Gerry
Speaker:said,
Speaker:looking
Speaker:around,
Speaker:unable
Speaker:to
Speaker:see
Speaker:much
Speaker:from his perspective
Speaker:belted
Speaker:in.
“A
spot
Speaker:I
Speaker:think
Speaker:you
Speaker:mentioned?
Speaker:I
Speaker:looked
Speaker:it
Speaker:up,
Speaker:just
Speaker:in
Speaker:case.
Speaker:Your sister
Speaker:filled
Speaker:me
Speaker:in.”
Outside,
a round-stoned
Speaker:lakeshore
Speaker:beach
Speaker:at
Speaker:twilight.
“Wow, Jaye. I love this beach.
I
Speaker:haven’t
Speaker:been
Speaker:here
Speaker:since…since
Speaker:I…”
Speaker:He
Speaker:looked
Speaker:between
Speaker:the
Speaker:beach
Speaker:and
Speaker:Jaye,
Speaker:and
Speaker:he
Speaker:sniffed,
Speaker:and
Speaker:Jaye,
Speaker:uncertain
Speaker:if
Speaker:possible,
Speaker:thought
Speaker:they
Speaker:saw
Speaker:his
Speaker:dark otter eyes
Speaker:starting to tear up.
“I thought you might wanna give it a go with
the
Speaker:new
Speaker:digs,”
Speaker:Jaye
Speaker:said,
Speaker:gesturing
Speaker:to Gerry’s
Speaker:otter form, “We’re in no rush.
Speaker:I
Speaker:know
Speaker:a
Speaker:good
Speaker:fish
Speaker:place
Speaker:we
Speaker:can
Speaker:hit
Speaker:up
Speaker:later.”
"Is
it
Speaker:a
Speaker:pet
Speaker:store?"
"Okay,
I
Speaker:know
Speaker:another
Speaker:good
Speaker:place
Speaker:we
Speaker:can hit
Speaker:up
Speaker:later.
Speaker:But
Speaker:seriously,
Speaker:they
Speaker:have
Speaker:raw
Speaker:options.
Speaker:Not
Speaker:sushi
Speaker:raw.
Speaker:Fresh
Speaker:from
Speaker:tank
Speaker:flopping
Speaker:raw."
“I’d
be
Speaker:offended
Speaker:by
Speaker:your
Speaker:otter
Speaker:stereotyping
Speaker:if
Speaker:it
Speaker:weren’t
Speaker:so
Speaker:spot
Speaker:on.”
“You
get
Speaker:out
Speaker:there
Speaker:and
Speaker:swim
Speaker:rudderbutt, and
Speaker:maybe
Speaker:you’ll
Speaker:catch
Speaker:some
Speaker:pre-dinner
Speaker:fish
Speaker:yourself.”
With
a
Speaker:happy
Speaker:squeak, Gerry
Speaker:exited
Speaker:the
Speaker:car.
Speaker:Jaye
Speaker:smiled
Speaker:as they
Speaker:watched
Speaker:the
Speaker:otter
Speaker:lope
Speaker:across
Speaker:the
Speaker:beach
Speaker:and
Speaker:slip into
Speaker:the
Speaker:water,
Speaker:with
Speaker:barely
Speaker:a
Speaker:ripple.
Speaker:Jaye
Speaker:exited
Speaker:their
Speaker:car
Speaker:and
Speaker:watched
Speaker:the
Speaker:otter's
Speaker:sleek
Speaker:furred
Speaker:hide
Speaker:occasionally breach
Speaker:the
Speaker:surface,
Speaker:obviously
Speaker:enjoying
Speaker:the
Speaker:sheer
Speaker:unfettered
Speaker:swimming
Speaker:joy
Speaker:of
Speaker:being
Speaker:an
Speaker:otter.
Being
himself.
This
was “Coming
Speaker:Ott”
Speaker:by
Speaker:Geo
Speaker:Holms,
Speaker:read for you
Speaker:by
Speaker:Rob
Speaker:MacWolf,
Speaker:Werewolf
Speaker:Hitchhiker.
Speaker:You
Speaker:can
Speaker:find
Speaker:more
Speaker:stories
Speaker:on
Speaker:the
Speaker:web
Speaker:at
Speaker:thevoice.dog,
Speaker:or
Speaker:find
Speaker:the
Speaker:show
Speaker:wherever
Speaker:you
Speaker:get
Speaker:your
Speaker:podcasts.
Speaker:Happy
Speaker:Pride,
Speaker:and
Speaker:Thank
Speaker:you
Speaker:for
Speaker:listening
Speaker:to
Speaker:The
Speaker:Voice
Speaker:of
Speaker:Dog.
