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“Otter Ways To Build Confidence” by Equine Essayist
A beefy otter helps his downtrodden stallion boyfriend build confidence in himself to go after his dream job!
Today’s story is “Otter Ways To Build Confidence” by Equine Essayist. This is one of 21 stories in the self-help furry short story collection Work "Fur" Hire, by Edwin@Work, this collection shares useful advice through short stories about animal people looking for work. In this book you will find a collection of genres, including slice-of-life, drama, comedy, light romance, horror, and dystopian. Each chapter includes insights into the hiring practices of the United States and an activity to help reinforce what was discussed.
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/otter-ways-to-build-confidence-by-equine-essayist
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 “Otter
Speaker:Ways
Speaker:To
Speaker:Build
Speaker:Confidence”
Speaker:by
Speaker:Equine
Speaker:Essayist.
Speaker:This
Speaker:is
Speaker:one
Speaker:of 21
Speaker:stories in
Speaker:the
Speaker:self-help
Speaker:furry
Speaker:short
Speaker:story
Speaker:collection
Speaker:Work "Fur"
Speaker:Hire,
Speaker:by
Speaker:Edwin@Work,
Speaker:this
Speaker:collection
Speaker:shares
Speaker:useful
Speaker:advice
Speaker:through
Speaker:short
Speaker:stories
Speaker:about
Speaker:animal
Speaker:people
Speaker:looking
Speaker:for
Speaker:work.
Speaker:In
Speaker:this
Speaker:book
Speaker:you will
Speaker:find
Speaker:a
Speaker:collection
Speaker:of
Speaker:genres,
Speaker:including
Speaker:slice-of-life,
Speaker:drama,
Speaker:comedy,
Speaker:light
Speaker:romance,
Speaker:horror,
Speaker:and
Speaker:dystopian.
Speaker:Each
Speaker:chapter
Speaker:includes
Speaker:insights
Speaker:into
Speaker:the
Speaker:hiring
Speaker:practices
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:United
Speaker:States
Speaker:and an
Speaker:activity
Speaker:to
Speaker:help
Speaker:reinforce
Speaker:what
Speaker:was
Speaker:discussed.
Love
is
Speaker:expressed
Speaker:not
Speaker:only
Speaker:in
Speaker:kisses
Speaker:and
Speaker:valentines,
Speaker:supporting
Speaker:someone
Speaker:is
Speaker:more
Speaker:than
Speaker:making
Speaker:sure
Speaker:they
Speaker:have
Speaker:a
Speaker:meal
Speaker:ready
Speaker:and
Speaker:their
Speaker:laundry
Speaker:is done,
Speaker:and pride is
Speaker:not found only in parades
Speaker:and
Speaker:flags. They
Speaker:are
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:individual,
Speaker:irrepeatable
Speaker:acts
Speaker:that
Speaker:can
Speaker:exist
Speaker:only
Speaker:between
Speaker:a
Speaker:person
Speaker:with
Speaker:an
Speaker:unexpected
Speaker:need,
Speaker:and
Speaker:another
Speaker:who
Speaker:decides
Speaker:to
Speaker:do
Speaker:what
Speaker:is
Speaker:necessary
Speaker:to
Speaker:see
Speaker:that
Speaker:need
Speaker:met.
Speaker:These
Speaker:too
Speaker:are
Speaker:love,
Speaker:these
Speaker:too
Speaker:are
Speaker:support,
Speaker:these
Speaker:too
Speaker:are
Speaker:Pride.
Please
enjoy
“Otter
Ways
Speaker:To
Speaker:Build
Speaker:Confidence”
Speaker:by
Speaker:Equine
Speaker:Essayist
Tim
left
Speaker:the
Speaker:city’s
Speaker:public
Speaker:works
Speaker:office
Speaker:and
Speaker:shook
Speaker:his
Speaker:head.
The
grey
Speaker:horse
Speaker:had
Speaker:clammed
Speaker:up
Speaker:again
Speaker:and
Speaker:let
Speaker:his
Speaker:nerves
Speaker:get
Speaker:the
Speaker:better
Speaker:of
Speaker:him. He
Speaker:couldn’t
Speaker:find
Speaker:a
Speaker:good
Speaker:response
Speaker:in
Speaker:his
Speaker:head
Speaker:and
Speaker:could
Speaker:even
Speaker:swear
Speaker:that
Speaker:his
Speaker:interviewers
Speaker:were
Speaker:laughing
Speaker:at
Speaker:him
Speaker:as
Speaker:he
Speaker:walked
Speaker:out
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:room.
Speaker:The
Speaker:long
Speaker:walk back
Speaker:to
Speaker:his
Speaker:car
Speaker:gave
Speaker:him
Speaker:time
Speaker:to
Speaker:reflect.
Tim
had
Speaker:always
Speaker:been
Speaker:a
Speaker:good
Speaker:worker
Speaker:and
Speaker:a
Speaker:reasonably
Speaker:articulate
Speaker:person
Speaker:himself.
Speaker:His
Speaker:position
Speaker:as
Speaker:lead
Speaker:trainer
Speaker:required
Speaker:both
Speaker:assets, and
Speaker:he
Speaker:used
Speaker:them
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:best
Speaker:of
Speaker:his
Speaker:ability.
Speaker:However,
Speaker:despite
Speaker:the
Speaker:respect
Speaker:he
Speaker:commanded
Speaker:from
Speaker:his
Speaker:new
Speaker:hires
Speaker:and
Speaker:co-workers,
Speaker:he
Speaker:couldn’t
Speaker:find
Speaker:his
Speaker:confidence
Speaker:or
Speaker:voice
Speaker:in
Speaker:any
Speaker:interview.
Tim
was
Speaker:exhausted
Speaker:as
Speaker:he
Speaker:walked
Speaker:home
Speaker:to
Speaker:his
Speaker:tiny
Speaker:apartment on
Speaker:the
Speaker:far
Speaker:corner
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:city.
Speaker:He
Speaker:threw
Speaker:off
Speaker:his
Speaker:coat,
Speaker:exposing
Speaker:the
Speaker:formal
Speaker:attire
Speaker:he
Speaker:hoped
Speaker:would
Speaker:have
Speaker:made
Speaker:some
Speaker:impression
Speaker:on
Speaker:his
Speaker:future
Speaker:employers,
Speaker:and
Speaker:settled
Speaker:on
Speaker:the
Speaker:couch.
Speaker:A
Speaker:cheerful
Speaker:voice
Speaker:greeted
Speaker:him
Speaker:from
Speaker:the
Speaker:kitchen.
“Is
that
Speaker:my
Speaker:new
Speaker:city
Speaker:worker?”
Speaker:The
Speaker:warm
Speaker:voice
Speaker:of
Speaker:Tim’s
Speaker:otter
Speaker:boyfriend
Speaker:flowed
Speaker:through
Speaker:the
Speaker:house, the
Speaker:cool
Speaker:aquatic
Speaker:mammal
Speaker:tiptoeing
Speaker:through
Speaker:the
Speaker:carpeted
Speaker:space
Speaker:to
Speaker:reach
Speaker:his
Speaker:equine
Speaker:lover
Speaker:and
Speaker:plant a
Speaker:comparatively
Speaker:warm
Speaker:kiss
Speaker:on
Speaker:the
Speaker:horse’s
Speaker:cheek.
Speaker:Tim
Speaker:could
Speaker:only
Speaker:smile
Speaker:despite
Speaker:his
Speaker:internal
Speaker:misery.
Speaker:Something
Speaker:about
Speaker:being
Speaker:next
Speaker:to
Speaker:Mick
Speaker:always
Speaker:made
Speaker:Tim
Speaker:feel
Speaker:at
Speaker:ease.
Speaker:He
Speaker:relaxed
Speaker:on
Speaker:the
Speaker:sofa
Speaker:and
Speaker:shook
Speaker:his head
Speaker:with
Speaker:a
Speaker:sigh. “I
Speaker:hope,”
Speaker:was
Speaker:all
Speaker:he
Speaker:could
Speaker:say.
Mick
was
Speaker:immediately
Speaker:suspicious. “I
Speaker:hope?
Speaker:What
Speaker:happened?”
Tim
was
Speaker:initially
Speaker:dismissive,
Speaker:blowing
Speaker:away
Speaker:the
Speaker:otter’s
Speaker:comments
Speaker:with “Nothing
Speaker:too
Speaker:bad”
Speaker:or “It’ll all
Speaker:be
Speaker:okay.”
Speaker:Mick
Speaker:responded
Speaker:by
Speaker:grabbing
Speaker:Tim’s snout and
Speaker:pulling
Speaker:him
Speaker:close.
Speaker:Locking
Speaker:eyes
Speaker:with
Speaker:the
Speaker:horse,
Speaker:Mick
Speaker:downright
Speaker:forced him
Speaker:to
Speaker:stare
Speaker:into
Speaker:his
Speaker:oceans
Speaker:of
Speaker:blue.
Speaker:Tim
Speaker:tried
Speaker:desperately
Speaker:to
Speaker:pull
Speaker:away,
Speaker:but
Speaker:something
Speaker:hypnotic
Speaker:about
Speaker:those
Speaker:puppy
Speaker:dog
Speaker:eyes
Speaker:forced
Speaker:the
Speaker:truth
Speaker:out
Speaker:of
Speaker:him.
Speaker:Tim
Speaker:chuckled
Speaker:as
Speaker:he
Speaker:again
Speaker:fell
Speaker:victim
Speaker:to
Speaker:his
Speaker:lover’s
Speaker:charm
Speaker:and
Speaker:sighed
Speaker:again. “Alright,
Speaker:alright.
Speaker:I…
Speaker:I
Speaker:didn’t
Speaker:do
Speaker:so
Speaker:well
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:interview.
Speaker:I
Speaker:think
Speaker:I
Speaker:blew
Speaker:it.”
Mick
shook
Speaker:his
Speaker:head
Speaker:and
Speaker:smiled. “And
Speaker:this
Speaker:is
Speaker:your
Speaker:third
Speaker:interview
Speaker:this
Speaker:month…
Speaker:It’s
Speaker:nice
Speaker:that
Speaker:you’re
Speaker:looking,
Speaker:but
Speaker:when
Speaker:will
Speaker:you
Speaker:learn?”
Tim
laughed
Speaker:and
Speaker:rested
Speaker:his
Speaker:head
Speaker:against
Speaker:Mick’s
Speaker:chest. “Hey, I’ll
Speaker:get
Speaker:the
Speaker:job
Speaker:I
Speaker:want
Speaker:someday.
Speaker:I
Speaker:gotta
Speaker:learn
Speaker:to
Speaker:not
Speaker:be
Speaker:so…
Speaker:anxious,
Speaker:I
Speaker:guess.”
The
otter
Speaker:spoke
Speaker:only
Speaker:one
Speaker:sentence.
Speaker:A
Speaker:sentence
Speaker:that
Speaker:confused
Speaker:Tim
Speaker:to
Speaker:no
Speaker:end. “That’s
Speaker:what
Speaker:I
Speaker:meant.”
Tim
had
Speaker:no
Speaker:time
Speaker:to
Speaker:dwell on
Speaker:the
Speaker:statement,
Speaker:though,
Speaker:as
Speaker:the
Speaker:furry
Speaker:marine
Speaker:beast
Speaker:soon
Speaker:lifted
Speaker:him
Speaker:out
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:chair.
Speaker:Tim
Speaker:prided
Speaker:himself
Speaker:in
Speaker:being
Speaker:the
Speaker:pinnacle
Speaker:of
Speaker:a
Speaker:stallion,
Speaker:but
Speaker:his
Speaker:boyfriend
Speaker:could
Speaker:always
Speaker:lift
Speaker:him
Speaker:off
Speaker:the
Speaker:ground
Speaker:like
Speaker:nothing.
Speaker:Mick
Speaker:slung
Speaker:him
Speaker:over
Speaker:his
Speaker:shoulder
Speaker:and
Speaker:carried
Speaker:him
Speaker:down
Speaker:the
Speaker:hallway
Speaker:to
Speaker:their
Speaker:shared
Speaker:bedroom,
Speaker:where
Speaker:he
Speaker:plopped
Speaker:the equine
Speaker:unceremoniously
Speaker:in
Speaker:front
Speaker:of
Speaker:a
Speaker:computer.
Mick
asked, “You
Speaker:know
Speaker:that
Speaker:template
Speaker:you
Speaker:have for
Speaker:resumes?”
Speaker:When
Speaker:Tim
Speaker:nodded
Speaker:meekly,
Speaker:he
Speaker:continued. “Okay,
Speaker:let’s
Speaker:open
Speaker:that.
Speaker:Please
Speaker:write
Speaker:me a
Speaker:resume.
Speaker:Pretend
Speaker:you’re
Speaker:applying
Speaker:to
Speaker:be
Speaker:my, uh…
Speaker:fitness
Speaker:trainer!”
“Wh-What?”
“You
said
Speaker:you
Speaker:gotta
Speaker:learn,
Speaker:right?
Speaker:Let’s
Speaker:learn!
Speaker:C’mon!
Speaker:Let’s
Speaker:land
Speaker:your
Speaker:dream
Speaker:job!”
Tim
laughed
Speaker:as
Speaker:everything
Speaker:dawned
Speaker:on
Speaker:him.
Speaker:The
Speaker:entire
Speaker:situation
Speaker:seemed
Speaker:surreal
Speaker:to
Speaker:him,
Speaker:but
Speaker:his
Speaker:boyfriend
Speaker:had
Speaker:a
Speaker:good
Speaker:point.
Speaker:While
Speaker:Tim
Speaker:started
Speaker:writing
Speaker:a
Speaker:resume
Speaker:for
Speaker:an
Speaker:otter
Speaker:trainer
Speaker:position,
Speaker:Mick sat
Speaker:on
Speaker:the
Speaker:bed and
Speaker:began
Speaker:to
Speaker:search for
Speaker:something
Speaker:on
Speaker:his
Speaker:phone.
When
the
Speaker:printer
Speaker:spat
Speaker:out
Speaker:the
Speaker:page,
Speaker:Tim
Speaker:handed it to
Speaker:Mick,
Speaker:who
Speaker:glanced
Speaker:over
Speaker:it
Speaker:and
Speaker:returned
Speaker:to
Speaker:his
Speaker:phone. “So,”
Speaker:he
Speaker:began,
Speaker:reading
Speaker:away. “Tell
Speaker:me
Speaker:about
Speaker:yourself.”
After
a
Speaker:moment
Speaker:to
Speaker:process,
Speaker:Tim
Speaker:turned
Speaker:his
Speaker:desk
Speaker:chair
Speaker:to
Speaker:face
Speaker:Mick
Speaker:and
Speaker:started
Speaker:going
Speaker:into
Speaker:the
Speaker:mock
Speaker:interview.
Speaker:Though
Speaker:he
Speaker:felt
Speaker:he
Speaker:did
Speaker:rather
Speaker:okay,
Speaker:and Mick coached
Speaker:him
Speaker:through
Speaker:good responses after
Speaker:each
Speaker:question
Speaker:the otter
Speaker:read
Speaker:off of
Speaker:some
Speaker:websites,
Speaker:he
Speaker:thought
Speaker:that
Speaker:with
Speaker:someone
Speaker:close
Speaker:to
Speaker:him
Speaker:as an
Speaker:interviewer,
Speaker:it
Speaker:didn’t
Speaker:tackle
Speaker:the
Speaker:root
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:problem.
To
Mick,
Speaker:though,
Speaker:this
Speaker:was
Speaker:just
Speaker:Phase 1.
Speaker:When
Speaker:the
Speaker:questions
Speaker:were
Speaker:exhausted,
Speaker:and Tim asked
Speaker:some of his own for good measure,
Speaker:Mick spun him
Speaker:back
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:computer
Speaker:and
Speaker:opened
Speaker:a
Speaker:website.
Speaker:Plastered
Speaker:all
Speaker:over
Speaker:the
Speaker:screen
Speaker:were
Speaker:vacancies
Speaker:for
Speaker:hundreds
Speaker:of
Speaker:nearby
Speaker:positions,
Speaker:every
Speaker:job
Speaker:Tim
Speaker:could
Speaker:think
Speaker:of.
“You see
these
Speaker:jobs?
Speaker:You’re
Speaker:gonna
Speaker:apply
Speaker:to
Speaker:every
Speaker:single
Speaker:one.
Speaker:I’ll
Speaker:help
Speaker:you write the resumes.”
The
horse was quick
Speaker:to
Speaker:fire
Speaker:back. “But
Speaker:what
Speaker:if
Speaker:I
Speaker:don’t
Speaker:want
Speaker:them?”
“That’s
the
Speaker:neat
Speaker:part,”
Speaker:Mick
Speaker:answered
Speaker:with
Speaker:skillful
Speaker:precision. “You’re
Speaker:not
Speaker:going
Speaker:to
Speaker:take
Speaker:them.”
Speaker:Noticing the
Speaker:confusion
Speaker:on
Speaker:the
Speaker:horse’s
Speaker:face,
Speaker:Mick
Speaker:continued. “Think
Speaker:of
Speaker:it
Speaker:as
Speaker:practice,
Speaker:love.
Speaker:You
Speaker:won’t
Speaker:take
Speaker:the
Speaker:jobs but
Speaker:will
Speaker:still
Speaker:go
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:interviews. I
Speaker:think
Speaker:if
Speaker:you’ve
Speaker:had
Speaker:enough
Speaker:of
Speaker:them,
Speaker:you’ll
Speaker:start
Speaker:to
Speaker:feel
Speaker:better,
Speaker:and
Speaker:then
Speaker:my
Speaker:little horsey’s gonna finally have the
Speaker:job
Speaker:of
Speaker:his
Speaker:dreams!”
Tim
smiled.
Speaker:Mick
Speaker:always
Speaker:knew
Speaker:how
Speaker:to
Speaker:make
Speaker:the horse
Speaker:feel
Speaker:better.
Speaker:Always.
“Now
come
Speaker:on,
Speaker:no
Speaker:more
Speaker:talking.
Speaker:Let’s
Speaker:get
Speaker:writing!”
Speaker:Mick
Speaker:took
Speaker:a
Speaker:laptop
Speaker:and
Speaker:pulled
Speaker:a
Speaker:copy
Speaker:of
Speaker:Tim’s
Speaker:resume
Speaker:template. “Give
Speaker:me
Speaker:the
Speaker:first
Speaker:job.”
— — — — — — — —
“So,
how
Speaker:did
Speaker:you
Speaker:learn
Speaker:about
Speaker:this
Speaker:job?”
Tim
found
Speaker:himself
Speaker:applying
Speaker:for
Speaker:a
Speaker:steel
Speaker:mill. It
Speaker:was
Speaker:the
Speaker:first
Speaker:job on
Speaker:the
Speaker:list,
Speaker:and
Speaker:Tim
Speaker:never
Speaker:fancied
Speaker:himself
Speaker:as a
Speaker:steel
Speaker:guy,
Speaker:so
Speaker:he
Speaker:had
Speaker:to
Speaker:search
Speaker:for
Speaker:words
Speaker:to
Speaker:answer
Speaker:the
Speaker:question
Speaker:respectfully.
He
never
Speaker:got
Speaker:a
Speaker:callback.
— — — — — — — —
“Are
you
Speaker:a
Speaker:team
Speaker:player or
Speaker:independent?”
The
next
Speaker:job
Speaker:down
Speaker:was a
Speaker:convenience
Speaker:store
Speaker:clerk.
Speaker:Mick
Speaker:gave
Speaker:him
Speaker:plenty
Speaker:of
Speaker:coaching
Speaker:and
Speaker:helped
Speaker:the stallion
Speaker:research
Speaker:the
Speaker:venue
Speaker:as
Speaker:much
Speaker:as
Speaker:possible.
Speaker:Tim’s
Speaker:experiences
Speaker:made
Speaker:him
Speaker:quite the
Speaker:lone
Speaker:wolf,
Speaker:but
Speaker:they
Speaker:wanted
Speaker:a
Speaker:team
Speaker:player,
Speaker:so
Speaker:that’s
Speaker:what
Speaker:Tim
Speaker:was.
The
recruiter
Speaker:couldn’t
Speaker:deny
Speaker:that
Speaker:the stallion
Speaker:intrigued
Speaker:him.
— — — — — — — —
“What
would
Speaker:you
Speaker:say
Speaker:is
Speaker:your
Speaker:spirit
Speaker:animal?”
Tim,
the
Speaker:horse,
Speaker:blinked
Speaker:at
Speaker:the
Speaker:interviewer
Speaker:in
Speaker:disbelief,
Speaker:then
Speaker:shook
Speaker:his
Speaker:head.
— — — — — — — —
Tim
stood at
Speaker:the
Speaker:door
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:city’s
Speaker:public
Speaker:works
Speaker:office.
Speaker:He had
Speaker:only
Speaker:resubmitted
Speaker:this
Speaker:particular
Speaker:application
Speaker:a
Speaker:week
Speaker:ago,
Speaker:but
Speaker:already,
Speaker:the
Speaker:horse
Speaker:had
Speaker:been
Speaker:through
Speaker:weeks
Speaker:of
Speaker:interviews.
Speaker:He
Speaker:was
Speaker:worn down;
Speaker:anyone
Speaker:could
Speaker:see
Speaker:that,
Speaker:but
Speaker:with
Speaker:every
Speaker:interview
Speaker:that
Speaker:passed,
Speaker:he
Speaker:knew
Speaker:what
Speaker:questions
Speaker:were
Speaker:coming
Speaker:and
Speaker:the
Speaker:best
Speaker:answers
Speaker:for
Speaker:each of them.
Speaker:There
Speaker:were
Speaker:few
Speaker:surprises
Speaker:anymore, but
Speaker:that
Speaker:gave
Speaker:him
Speaker:confidence
Speaker:that
Speaker:he
Speaker:never
Speaker:had
Speaker:before.
Speaker:Mick
Speaker:sat
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:car
Speaker:behind
Speaker:him
Speaker:and
Speaker:gave
Speaker:him
Speaker:one
Speaker:last
Speaker:cheer
Speaker:before
Speaker:he
Speaker:entered
Speaker:the
Speaker:building.
“Go
on,
Speaker:love!
Speaker:Just
Speaker:as
Speaker:we
Speaker:practiced!”
This
was “Otter
Speaker:Ways
Speaker:To
Speaker:Build
Speaker:Confidence”
Speaker:by
Speaker:Equine Essayist, read for
Speaker:you by Rob MacWolf, Werewolf 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.
