"Another Day With Ziggy"

Written By,

Mersadece L Dolin

There I was, lying in bed with the covers pulled up to my noise and my toes sticking out the end of the bed. I knew it was about time to get up. I could feel the small breeze through my window, filling my bedroom with a relaxing, yet cozy and irresistible feeling to stay in bed. Just as I was starting to contemplate the idea of calling off work so I could stay tucked away with my blanket; I heard him. The Swift flapping of the wings! I find the sound soothing; however, most people think it sounds like rubber being smacked together. I was about to open my eyes and have a peek around so I might catch a glimpse of my exotically handsome, yet charming best friend. Instead, however, I felt a tug on my hair. Ziggy, Ziggy, Zig!! I called out as I rolled over just in time to see him lift off circling the ceiling light. Laying there for a minute, I enjoyed watching him, and listening to his chirp while taking steep, swift, graceful plunges around the room.

"What a character" I thought to myself as I rolled out of bed, catching a glance at the clock reading 5:30pm. Perfect!! Plenty of time to get a few things done around the apartment before heading off to work. Calling out to Ziggy, I beckoned him to follow along as I headed for the kitchen. Reaching into the fridge, I grabbed milk and cereal; however, all my bowls were still dirty. Go figure! Grabbing a plastic cup and spoon, I was startled by Ziggy, who was now on the counter letting out a few chirps. One might think he was laughing at my pathetic, but quite recurring bowl situation. Had I not known, my best bat babe better than anyone else, I would have thought just that. I grabbed the plastic bowl of mashed up grapes off the counter, giving Ziggy a smile as we both headed for the couch. Placing the bowl of mushy grapes on the coffee table. It was no surprise when Ziggy went to town. He always had a taste for grapes after my incident awhile back. I dropped a grape on the floor without noticing a few years back. I had just rescued Ziggy as a little, baby Bat. He was so small at the time, that the grape was too big for poor Zig to get a bite out of it. So, I mashed it up, and observed as he guzzled it down, with no problem. Afterwards, he let out his first chirp, as if to say thank you. If I had known then that we would be going through two bags of mashed grapes a week, I might not have been so quick to do that. However, I cannot resist the cuteness, even now, years later as a wise old Bat, he still tickles my heart.

Throwing my plastic dishes in the trash, I turned on my modern rock music, and headed for the shower, leaving the door open! Ziggy likes to fly into the steamed-up bathroom, and swiftly fly back out. I imagine it's his way of getting a steam cleaning. While I continue washing my hair, and getting ready for the night, my favorite classic rock and roll song, "Fly like an Eagle" comes on the radio. This is just one of the many times when I am amazed, tickled, and appreciative of just how smart and talented Ziggy is. I pull the shower curtain back, yelling out, "Ziggy, turn it up"! A minute later, the volume rocketed through the entire apartment. I found myself dancing to the music! Letting my mind drift back to the day, I had taught Ziggy how to work the stereo knobs.

Sitting in the living room one night, listening to a nasty thunderstorm roll through, I had been trying to do a 500-piece puzzle to ease my mind. Even though I despise Puzzles! I couldn’t help noticing how the lightning was flashing, all absurd, and the Thunder was so loud I could have sworn it was right in the room. I have never been fond of storms, so I crawled over and turned on my stereo to drown it out. I was about to turn the volume up when it hit me! The coolest idea!! I was going to teach Ziggy how to turn up the volume. Ha-ha, could you imagine it? He would be a hit for parties. Anyway, I picked Ziggy up and showed him where the largest dial was, directly in the middle of the stereo. At first, we were both a little confused, because I didn’t have the slightest idea how to teach a bat trick, and Ziggy had no idea what the big silver box was. After some brainstorming, and seeing Ziggy ceiling diving, it hit me. I knew how to show him! How he picked up on it, well, that depends on him. Surprisingly, bats are intelligent creatures. It took Zig a handful of positive attempts before he got it. All I had to do was show him that the nobs stuck out just enough for his little Bat-feet to land on. Of course, there was not enough room for him to stand on the knob, but he could make a good enough contact that they would move. Granted, it took a while before he caught on that Loud music would play when he flew onto the knob from one direction, and the opposite happened when he flew in from the opposite direction. At this point, I had completely forgotten about the Puzzle, or even that nasty storm. I was so excited about my baby learning his first trick. Of course, a few interesting things took place after that night. First was, Ziggy loved turning the music up and down so much that it turned into an all-night event for an exceptionally long time. Thank goodness, I am a night-owl. The second thing was my living room set-up has been rearranged in every way possible since I moved in; however, the stereo has never moved from that spot. I figured out later, after watching Ziggy fly around chirping, that he had mastered two different ways of approaching the Volume. If he came swooping in from the right, the volume went down, and if he came in from the left, the volume went up. The stereo is now a permanent fixture in the corner of the living-room, so he can keep his strategy.

After realizing the time is pushing 8:30pm, I am getting around to throwing on clothes for work. Grabbing my jeans from the hallway with patches sewed all over them, and the first shirt I could find in the dirty clothes. I considered myself lucky it happened to be my Metallica shirt. That is my higher power, letting me know that it’s going to be a good night. Slipping on my leather boots, I hear Ziggy, Chirp, Chirp, chirping like crazy, and flying full speed, in different directions getting all excited. About that time, my girl Lizard was knocking on the door. Right on time! Lizard, well, Liz is her actual name, but I have always called her Lizard because ever since we met, she has had a pet Lizard, but never gave the poor thing a name. Considering the good friend, I am, I creatively took her name and the reptile’s name, combined the two, and the rest is history. A single name for two individuals. Acting like she lives here, Lizard came right in with no hesitation, and instantly started talking about the band that was going to be playing tonight at work.

I don’t think these small-town mommas’ boys are worth even calling themselves a band. Regardless of what I think, it’s a cheap whole in the wall bar, and the drinks are always warm it seems, not to mention the boss man is a stickler, but we both enjoy working there, along with Ziggy and Lizard. I would almost guarantee that place is only open considering Liz and I bring our babies to work every night. Lizard and Ziggy are good friends, hence the sporadic, flying around ridiculously, and getting all excited when he saw Lizard was here.

As I finished getting ready for the night, Liz kept going on about the "band". I felt bad for Lizard, bet this is all he has heard all day. Poor little fellow.

"Liz, grab the carry-on for Ziggy out of the closet, I’m going to start shutting down the house? It’s Almost that time!" A few minutes later we were piled into Liz's little Red Mazda with the kids in the back seat, listening to the Rolling Stones blasting out of the speakers. With the windows down, I found myself lost in thought, soaking up the warm night air. I loved the ride to work! It makes me feel like I’m in an action movie, headed to some big-time street race located in some deserted part of town.

A half hour later we arrive at "The Nest" and Liz parks at the same spot by the dumpster, leaving me just enough room to squeeze out my door. I love her! We headed inside to start setting up for the night. I let Ziggy out of his carry-on, and he takes off fast as lightning, swishing through the rafters doing all kinds of dips and spins. Liz and Lizard head over to the stage where there is a decent sized custom made bright green habitat set up. I say green, because the Boss went overboard with the fake figs when he had it put in. I continued my routine and headed to turn the Jukebox on. I was distracted when I noticed Liz needed help setting up the lights on stage for tonight’s band. I was trying to be funny as I approached, "Crappy little stage set-up for a crappy little band, I imagine". However, Liz didn’t share in my humor because she just death glared at me for a solid minute. After that was finished, I headed to the bar with intentions of tending to a few arriving customers, and about that same time the boss man came out from the back. He proceeded to inform me that I would be managing the bar by myself tonight since the server Mandy, had called off. At that point I started to block out whatever he said next, making my way to the cooler for some beer. No way I wanted to be around when Liz found out she would be working the floor. As I opened the cooler, Ziggy came flying in landing right on my shoulder. I tried to rub my noise on him, but he was not having it. After grabbing a case of Budweiser and PBR with Zig on my shoulder, I headed back out to the Bar area. Things were starting to get a little crowded and I noticed the band had shown up. I observed and giggled under my breath as I watched Liz, right, smack dab in the middle of the band. I could tell she was trying to decide who was the lead, and how she might get his attention without coming off too strong. She always had a problem with over doing it regarding boys, where on one hand I enjoyed them six feet away from me. The night took off, bringing “The Nest" to life with its approximately twenty-five guests, and the Boy band. Believe it or not, that is good business for this old bar. I enjoyed myself as the night went by serving a beer for this person, and a shot for that one. My favorite thing about nights here at work is how so many people get to experience how amazing Ziggy is. Every customer is tickled to death with the opportunity to interact with a Bat. People get a real big kick out of Ziggy’s well-mastered bar trick, of collecting my tips. I set this big old empty pickle jar up on the shelf between the Patron and Crown Royal. Then the customers will set any tip amount out in front of them on the bar and that’s when Ziggy goes to work. When he sees a dollar setting on the bar, he goes from putting on an air show in the rafters, to full speed straight down. He swoops down, scooping up the money, then flies back up, gracefully turning around to fly directly over the pickle jar, and dropping the money inside, not missing a beat. I’m so proud of him that I can’t help but think some nights I do so well on tips only because people enjoy seeing him in action. One way or another it works out all the way around, the bills get paid, and he gets grapes.

Finally, the night is coming to an end as we lock up at 3:00am and start headed home. Riding home is nothing like the ride to work. We are so tired we don’t even notice there is no music playing, and the windows are up, as we ride in silence. I find myself getting lost in thought, once again going over my appreciation for the term "overworked and underpaid". Hell, even Ziggy is just silently riding nestled in the back corner seat. Pulling into my apartment, I gather my things up along with Ziggy, giving Liz and Lizard my best wishes for a safe drive and good night as they head out.

Heading inside, Ziggy takes flight, hoping to drain the last bit of energy chirping and whooshing around for a little while as we wind down. After changing out of work clothes and tossing them almost exactly where I found them; I hop on the bed and start counting out my tips. Ziggy comes whooshing into the room, dipping down, and circling directly around my head. He finally settles down beside me as I tally our nightly earnings up to a grand total of $186.46. "Not a bad not zig, maybe if you upped your flight moves and I smiled more we could break $250.00". I giggled to myself at my own remake, and snuggled down into the blankets, pulling them up to my chin, keeping my feet out at the bottom. Glancing out the window, I noticed the sun was starting to come up over the horizon. I glance over at Zig and smile as he snuggles on in with me. "Sleep tight my little Bat! We're going to do it all over again in a few hours."