[The Zookeeper, The Bartender and The Seafarer is a monologue which is partially audible - different parts are audible at different times of the month, and the transcripts reflect the audio that you can hear at that time]. Zookeeper You’ve heard of None had ever lived their lives. Maybe they is expensive. even to well that some people lots - went for over But they were friends, these wise people. They’d served Being full time, until retirement. Now they were old. And eventually they said. I know it’s selfish. But my eyesight is all but faded. And I just want to hang out with an elephant before I die. The wise people had an in with a zookeeper. A young man who loved teaching people about animals - loved people learning how they were part of a larger organic whole. He didn’t know the wise seers’ theories about zoos human nature, but would have been appalled by the The wise asked the zookeeper if they could hang out elephant. The zookeeper said no, would be very Elephants big heavy and be honest, zookeeper not trust these so to sensible. Maybe by the and the thought enraged by joy. attribute emotions but that might not do like maybugs, and can No, the zookeeper, can’t out an But... you can and stand by the Listen and and even elephant. I could probably convince one to come quite close if we promised It so happens that these three wise people had very senses that they’d developed over time and which hadn’t faded with their vision. The first wise person, let’s call them Romola. Romola had an incredible sense of hearing. The second - JD - their sense of touch was exquisitely sensitive. The third, let’s call them Fairuza. Fairuza had a keenly honed sense of smell. As the elephant approached the fence, Romola their ear almost against their flank. They listened closely and the beating elephant’s huge heart. And said, so an huge kettle drum. of It’s the sticks the forwards small gap quite that JD eccentric huge like you’ve read an A Fairuza back a little, smelt the musk the elephant. smelled like you don’t know courage like, your sense of smell is not as good as Fairuza’s. Don’t feel bad - Fairuza’s sense of smell was a mix of youthful ability and careful practice. Sniffing first the grand dames of the scent world - Sichuan Peppercorns, burning hair, fear - and then honing in on subtler scents - glassware, not-burning hair, mild disappointment. The elephant was a courageous animal, Surmised Fairuza. The elephant was a sense of purpose. Fairuza was what you call “abstract thinker”. Only marginally more so than JD, the zookeeper did not the wise notions. was a at heart. The to person single sense touch, or what instead use hammer A time? Is this were to the elephant all was born in out of ever experiencing of let’s be honest When you’ve been starved stimulation for so long, seeing an elephant is really really exciting. And… the point of this story, as it’s traditionally told, is simple. People only see what’s put in front of them. If they see you sweeping up manure, they’re probably not thinking of you as a student of psychology. If they see you speaking confidently on TV, they’re probably not seeing the seething chaos of your private life. The waves that cover the majority of your life makes large parts of it inaccessible to the casual observer by placing the obstacles of time, context, and attention in their way. only on the seashore watching those waves pass the body your life that someone actually see you in your entirety. to understand from dreaming, narratives they and interpret they could are scattered images images into something What if that curious, beat kettle the Romola, handed and musk Fairuza? Ok, that brain one seems more far-fetched, but seems like a fanciful sort, they might just fall it.. But what if there are no elephants? What if there’s just a rope, a rock, a snake? --- The Seafarer The waves roll slowly over the deck. Glaciers can move quickly - 100ft per day - or slowly - two feet per year. These move at the speed of the calendar. Once per back to where were. I’m grounded shallow and depending on where wave lies, I can see different the from up here the back the… forecastle? That doesn’t sense, at the the Hand steering wheel Maybe must captain-ing even They Were I’m a coward. They out why. think I’ve accumulated all sort things of stuff that oily maybe? Something a tarpaulin that has rusty vibes. Maybe some I can see something around more or less happily but that might be an otter. I remember picking up an It might just be a visitor. I’m not sure it’s really part of the narrative. As the waves roll on I see different parts of the deck - occasionally I see the prow, the front of the ship. There’s a figurehead. I’ve been on this boat for a long time and somehow I’ve forgotten what that is. Also I’m right at the back and it’s facing away from me. Someone the cliff above will have a much better idea than I do. It if you by on the cliff and over and in that moment wave has revealed certain parts There’s cannon, and further the back of the boat there was a but it the Ok, why Was retrospectively some cosmetic of at nets. First charismatic circus. Those nets probably fishing. of for sure. But definitely animal What would think if you could see different views of boat together, totality? The figurehead, the the books, the cannon, the nets, the crates, the barrels, the what looks like a submersible, the plank, a set of flags for different circumstances and eras, the… I think that is an otter? But taken all together... It’s just a mess, isn’t it? It makes no sense at all. Maybe it’s better to get glimpses between the waves. the story you tell yourself makes more sense. It’s a giant floating brain, it’s a kettle drum holding together, it’s courage. --- Neutrinowatch is generated daily, so this text will change every day. This version was generated on Saturday, 29 June 2024, at 00:06 UTC/GMT