Back at home
Richard turned off the TV. How far had it gone? He pulled out his cellphone and began to dial his boss. "Come on, pick up the phone," he muttered as he waited through the rings.
"Hello?" said a woman's voice.
"Boss, it's Richard, on holiday?" he said.
"Richard! Holy Mother of God, you get caught in that mess?" Phoebe asked.
"Yyes ma'am," Richard stammered, already seeing where this was going.
"Management is having a fit over this. They said anyone who comes in with fur is being told they have one day, and then not to come back. I'm packin' up my office right now."
"What?" the tigerman asked. "I'm out of a job?"
"You're not alone," she replied. "I got caught in this weird changestuff and now I'm a fuckin' vixen. I'm a foxwoman for Christ's sake. The furry community is going to have a field day with me!"
Richard laughed in spite of himself – that humor of hers was one thing he'd always appreciated. "God, Phoebe, that's not your bigger problem right now. Innat illegal anyway?"
"They're claiming it only applies to humans," Phoebe snorted. "If that's the case then my own boss is a zoophiliac."
He chuckled again. "Ah fuck it," Richard said, "I'm coming back home, okay? I'll quit, clean out my desk, and we can hunt jobs together." He blinked. "No pun intended o'course."
"Pun? Oh, right, tigers there. So you really did get caught in this mess. Fuck me."
"Ha, shouldn't we date first?" Richard joked.
"Sure, if ya want," she stammered.
"Oh...uh, we'll make a date when I get back, then," Richard smiled. "I need your cell though."
"Right," she said. "Get a pen and some paper."
A while later, he had her number and was contacting his travel agent. Within the hour, his schedule was reworked. He'd be on the plane in the morning. Early morning, unfortunately, but he was fine with that for now.
Written by Machaeus on 18 November 2015