♕ |[ 96 ]| Something inspires the only cow of late to make no more of a wall than an open gate

[had_not_lived]

[ VIDEO | Backdated to this afternoon ]

[The image is a bit dark and a little wobbly, but the focus is pretty obvious: an enormous bull, standing in the middle of a very narrow space lined with books. From offscreen, Neil narrates:]

I think he wandered in about an hour ago-- I heard the bell on the door and looked up and there he was.

[The bull turns his head towards the camera slowly, snorts, and goes back to nosing idly at the shelf.]

I'm calling him Ferdinand, maybe it'll be a good influence. But unless he gets tired and leaves, I'm not really sure what to do... I'd close up early but I don't want to leave him trapped here.

[Briefly, Neil turns the camera on himself, looking a bit perplexed.]

Does anyone have any ideas? Maybe we could... lure him out?

[ooc; posted during business hours at the bookstore ;3 Link is totally ooc and only there for your viewing pleasure. <3]

Comments

[justamessenger]

Hey could be worse. You could own a china shop.

[had_not_lived]

That's true! Though I'm a little worried he might start eating the books.

[justamessenger]

I don't know if that's really their bag. I thought they were more into, like, grass and stuff.

[had_not_lived]

Well, paper's made from wood, it probably smells a little like plants. Can a bull tell the difference?

[justamessenger]

I don't think paper really smells like grass all that much.

[had_not_lived]

To you and me, sure, but how good is a cow's sense of smell?

[othersdie]

Maybe he'll disappear at midnight.

[had_not_lived]

I don't want to stay here all night, though!

[othersdie]

Can you get around it?

[had_not_lived]

But what if he decides he wants to leave after I do?

[othersdie]

Leave the door open? Run if it chases you?

[had_not_lived]

I think I'll have to just stay and watch 'til it decides to go smell some other flowers.

[othersdie]

At least you have something to read while you wait.

[had_not_lived]

That's true.

I hope you haven't been penned in anywhere, Justin.

[othersdie]

No, not by cows or bulls. Just by office hours.

[Because Captain America is worse at doing paperwork than Dean Winchester.]

[had_not_lived]

Well, you might still beat me home. I guess it's up to Ferdinand.

[othersdie]

Try not to get too attached.

[had_not_lived]

I'm not!

[othersdie]

If you say so. Just hope that Ferdinand doesn't follow you home.

[had_not_lived]

Maybe I could lose him on the staircase, if he tried.

He is fairly well behaved, at least, he's just in the way.

[othersdie]

You need a second exit.

[had_not_lived]

There isn't one in the back room. Just a table and two chairs.

On the bright side there are worse places to be stuck than a bookstore.

[othersdie]

And there are worse people to be stuck with.

[had_not_lived]

You're welcome to join us if you'd like.

[othersdie]

I don't think I'd be of much help.

[had_not_lived]

Don't worry about that, I just meant if you want some company.

[othersdie]

Maybe later, when you don't have a bull for company.

[had_not_lived]

Ferdinand wouldn't hurt a fly.

[The snort in the background, one hopes, is not the bull contesting this.]

voice;

[universaltranslator]

I saw a cowboy herding some cattle earlier. Maybe you could get his help?

voice;

[had_not_lived]

Does luring out of a bookshop count as herding, do you think? I wonder if he takes requests...

voice;

[universaltranslator]

It's worth a shot, at least. You're not really going to be able to get him out on your own.

voice;

[had_not_lived]

I was hoping he'd just get bored, honestly.

voice;

[universaltranslator]

Don't they stand around and chew cud all day?

voice;

[had_not_lived]

Cows do. I always thought bulls were a little more lively, though?

voice;

[universaltranslator]

I don't know. I've never spent much time around any animals.

voice;

[had_not_lived]

I haven't either, really. My old roommate had a cow but obviously we didn't keep it in the apartment.