Live at the Table: Bluff City Zoo TWO! Pt. 2

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Episode description[edit | edit source]

Hey everyone we're back with Bluff Zoo 2 pt 2 this evening! 6:30 eastern, 3:30 pacific twitch.tv/friendsatthetable

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Plot[edit | edit source]

As Darren is driving to work, he sees a woman taking down a banner advertising Zoo 2 and two men putting up a billboard for Zoo 3 (Zoo Of The Night). He notices that there seems to be much more advertisement for Zoo 3 than Zoo 2, and feels “slightly dejected” by this. He goes through his usual morning routine of greeting and feeding the animals, meeting up with Devin (Devin holds the bowl while Darren pours the food). Their conversation about the lion food brings up Darren’s memories of his old job, further depressing him. Devin mentions that she is working there as her mother said they were short staffed, bring down Darren’s mood even further. Devin noticed his bleak mood, and Darren tries to give Devin a pep talk (“a zoo is a life form, a zoo is a living body”), asking what job she would have if she could have any job in the zoo. Devin said that she would like to have a job where people pay to look at her (Maark, passing through, tells her the job is “animal” and that they got in trouble for trying to do it previously). Devin then changes her answer to ‘person who collects the peacock feathers to sell in the gift shop’. Darren says she shouldn’t just do it for the money, to which Devin points out she is currently volunteering and not getting paid. Darren tearfully says he wants to be surrounded by passion, and Devin asks if he’s okay.

Darren notices a woman sitting at the outdoor eating area, with her head in her hands. He also notices that her uniform has a large ‘3’ on it. Darren asks Devin if her mother ever mentioned Zoo 3, which Devin says she talks about many zoos (she’s up to Zoo 9 “they just love numbers”). Darren asks if she recognises the woman, and Devin says she doesn’t. The woman looks up and waves, mistaking Devin for her mother. She introduces herself as Sam and asks if Devin got her emails. Devin, still not realising that Sam has mistaken her for her mother, says she did not, and Sam asks if she can speak to them about a proposal.

Sam tells them that Zoo 2 is done and that they have been told they are moving on to Zoo 3. Darren pushes back on this and Sam agrees as she doesn’t believe that Zoo 3 is ready. Darren pitches some ideas, and Sam says that she’s heard they have a week before they close Zoo 2. Sam begs them to come up with an idea that’s good enough for them to stay open so that she doesn’t have to run a night-time zoo. Darren says that he’s disgusted that she doesn’t want to run a night zoo. Sam, exhausted from only getting forty-five minutes of sleep, begins crying. Darren says he’s going to make Zoo 2 be so good and profitable that the next zoo they make will be Zoo 2: 2. Sam is extremely grateful.

Devin goes to visit her mother, who is very excited to see her and asks about her friend and her job. Devin talks to her, but Georgia is immediately distracted by typing on her phone and doesn’t listen, though she does say that she wants to tell Devin about something involving her great-grandfather. She produces a letter from DE Hitchcock the forth that Devin made, telling Devin that she found it recently and, because Devin and he were close, asks if she could interpret it. Devin expects it to be the letter that she recently forged, however it is another, seemingly real, letter from DE Hitchcock the forth that reads:

This is a dark time. It is a dark time for the zoo [...] a bleak and pitiful time for the zoo [...] destruction for the zoo.

The handwriting is messy and Georgia is unable to both read most of it or interpret the metaphors that she is able to read. Devin says that a thing that DE Hitchcock the fourth always said to her about storms was that “you gotta go inside … everyone’s gotta do their best to throw a big party … inside, together” and that this means they should hire everyone back and hold a big event. Georgia buys it, mainly because she is distracted by both organising a purchase on an ostrich and sourcing staff for the other Zoos. Georgia then asks what the letter says about her. Devin, making the most of the opportunity in front of her, says that the letter says part of the letter is ambiguous and could be about either one of them but mentions being “really reliable and trustworthy and responsible”, though Devin says she thinks it is about Georgia. She then asks for a higher allowance. In response, Georgia hands her a zoo badge and says she is now “part of the zoo” (though she still does not confirm if Devin will be getting paid).

Dax invites Darren to hang out with him in the woods in “the spot”. Dax has hung a velvet theatre curtain between two trees with a sign saying ‘ZOO FREE: Zoo By Dax’ on it. Darren is surprised and confused, asking about what exhibits he has. Dax says he’s training the animals, pulling back the curtain to reveal a handful of exhibits - a couple stages of large mammals (including the leopards from the first Bluff Zoo) and a proof of concept shrews and moles with lenses over the cages so you can see a larger version of them.

Darren responds positively (“it’s nice out here, you got the air, you got the trees”), exciting Dax. Darren says that this is why they need him back at the zoo (“no one else knows about food”), and tells Dax that they’re about to shut down Zoo 2 (“a zoo is like a body! This zoo is like a baby!”), and they both express their shock over this development.

Dax tells Darren that he needs investment to get his zoo off the ground (“zoo free ain’t free”), and then asks Darren about Dudley. Darren brushes off his relationship (“Dudley’s in the past man”), and Dax reveal that he was the man on the phone, and that he knew Dudley was the one who stole the fish. Darrens asks what he wants with the fish, and Dax says he wants it to get the reward money. Dudley texts Darren saying that he wants to give the fish back (“It’s weighing on my heart bro”), which Dax says will ruin his plan.

Darren says he can’t abandon the zoo, and that the reward money would be coming from the zoo. Dax says that he can’t stop someone from doing the right thing for themselves (“even if that guy’s a piece of shit by the way”). Darren says that Dudley’s having a change of heart, and that he wants to apologise to Dax. Dax is unmoved, but he will not “stop him from amending his deeds” and that “if a dream [Zoo Free] must remain then so be it”. Darren is distressed by the idea of limiting the amount of zoos in the world, but Dax says his idea is just on hold instead of cancelled.

Dax takes the leopard by his cheeks and apologises, and gives the leopard a marshmallow (the leopard, thinking that he’s getting a treat for a trick, hops around on his hind legs). Darrens says he’s glad that they’re following the “species code” and Dax agrees, pulling the theatre curtains closed, hangs a sign that says ‘theoretical’ over the wooden sign, and walks out of the woods.

That evening, Dudley knocks on Dax’s door. He holds out a bottle of gold top milk to Dax, asking if he can come in. Dax lets him in, and Dudley gives him the milk. Dax puts the milk in his fridge next to an identical bottle of milk from Darren. Dudley apologises for feeding Dax’s chinchillas to his reptiles. Dax says he wasn’t following the species code and is surprised that Dudley says he doesn’t know it since he and Darren are friends (“we don’t really hang out like that, we’re more like milk bros”). Dax explains that the species code means doing what’s right for the animals and what works out for all animals.

Dudley asks if he can trust Dax, and Dax says he can as he has to follow the species code. Dudley tells him that he stole the fish and has been keeping it at his house. Dax says he knows, as Dudley left “an extreme amount” of evidence. Dudley says he’s feeling conflicted, since the fish should be returned to it’s environment, but he could use the fish reward money to fix the zoo. Dax says the good that could be done with the money doesn’t matter if they can’t follow the species code.

Dudley says he thinks he’s worked out how to get into the fish’s bank account, but the conversation is derailed when he receives a text from Devin telling him that he has his job back. Dax also receives a text from Devin telling him that he also has his job back. Dudley realises that this means he owes Devin $20,000. Dax breaks the news that he doesn’t have a buyer for the fish because he was the guy on the phone. Dudley says that Dax doing this broke species code, and asks for Dax’s help to “smooth things out” with Devin and saving the zoo.

Devin takes her mother’s corporate credit card to plan a zoo party and asks Darren to help her. Darren says that he wants to help, and asks if he can invite Dax, to which Devin says he can. Darren feels invigorated by the task, surrounded by passion once again. Dax and Darren discuss getting hats for the primates. Devin shows up with a huge binder with a printout of a powerpoint that says ‘A Zoo Is A Body’ (Dax starts applauding), and says that she knows what costumes they need - she has divided the zoo animals into different parts of the body (monkeys in the hands category, etc).

Dudley pulls Dax and Darren aside to talk about the fish. He wants to bring it back, but also he owes Devin $20,000. Dudley says his new plan is to drain the fish’s bank account and then return the fish. Dax refuses to help, as he believes it is not his problem (“the nature of this eludes me”) and that he doesn’t like the idea of getting money from it, calling it “cosmically sour”. Dudley refuses to go back on his promise to Devin and also refuses to tell her the truth of the situation.

Dax looks to Darren for direction, seeking his guidance. Darren looks him in the eyes and tells him to live “with passion” and that he has to trust himself, and he tells Dudley to follow his heart. Darren says that they should used Devin’s mum’s credit card to fund the party. Dax says they have to find the way to get the money out of the fish. Darren says they should play “jack black” (meaning blackjack) against the fish. Dudley says they could take the fish to the casino and ask for the fish’s money since that’s how the fish won the money in the first place.

Darren asks Devin if the zoo has any sort of ID or certificate of authenticity for the fish, which she does not.  Darren asks her to text the casino to ask for the fish’s money. Devin is confused, as she believes the fish was stolen. Dax and Darren both look at Dudley. Dudley very quickly admits he was the one that stole the fish. Dax explains Dudley’s plan. Devin asks if they can use the fish money for the party, and Dudley says he’s already promised the money to Dax. Dax says he needs the money to make his Zoo Free.

Devin suggests that Zoo Free could be a satellite of Zoo 2. Dax is hesitant, but Devin says that they could have the party at both zoos, and that people would be encouraged to move between the zoos (a zoo crawl). Darren and Dax both like this idea.

Devin uses Dax’s voice changer to call the Big Wig Casino to ask about the fish’s account while pretending to be her mother. Only one of the employees knows about the fish’s account. Devin says that she will send her “finest zookeepers” to collect the money. One of the employees says that they need to bring the fish down to the casino in order to process the transaction. After Devin yells at the employees, they agree to do the transfer over the phone but they need the fish’s account number. Darren provides the account number, but it turns out that the fish only has $29,872.37 instead of the $120,000 they were expecting. Devin hangs up and breaks the bad news to the others.

Councilman Ort arrives at the zoo on the day of the party, spotting Dax and expressing surprise that he got his job back. Dax takes him around the party (monkeys wearing hats, hummingbird feeders with LEDs on them, archery contest (African megafauna love to watch archery), gourmet station for the reptiles (guests can line up foods for the reptiles to choose to eat), cocktails in the Ri$h Fi$h exhibit, VIP area on a overpass to see both Zoo 2 and Zoo Free, giraffe’s bobbing for apples (co exhibit between Zoo 2 and Zoo Free)). Dax explains the theme of “the zoo is a body” but Ort says he’s wrong “a city is a body, a zoo is a small organ”. Ort plays the gourmet station with Ralph, an enormous snake. Ort gives the snake a piece of apple, remarking that the balcony between Ort and the snake feels a little loose. Ort tumbles from the loose balcony into the reptile enclosure, and is eaten by Ralph (who is experiencing anxiety as he didn’t receive his pre-event sound bath).

Meanwhile, Darren is on the employee radio managing the staff during the party and any issues they might need to fix (the monkey’s changing hats, etc). Devin has arranged a display using a transparent body model for her chinchilla to run around in. Dudley is in the Ri$h Fi$h exhibit, feeling glad that he has returned the fish.

Unfortunately, due to the death of Councilman Ort, the event is a failure.

After the party, Dudley gives Devin a cheque for $20,000. Dudley says he doesn’t know anything about it, claiming the zoo holds no liability for it. Devin takes the cheque, though her mind is clearly still on the death of Ort. Dudley tries to comfort her (“a zoo is a body, and sometimes a body has teeth”), and tries to feel hopeful about the future of Zoo 2. As Georgia Zeller is now the highest ranking member of the various zoos, and Dudley asks Devin to put in a good word for him, offering to throw in a case of beer along with the cheque. Devin, who’s grades are terrible as she works so much at the zoo, asks him to find someone to do her chemistry homework. Dudley says that he can do her homework if she can smooth over any damage caused by Ort being eaten by one of his snakes.

A week after the Zoo 2 party, Darren visits the Bluff City Police Department to be questioned about the death of Councilman Ort. Though a lawyer from Zoo 2 is present, they do not offer much assistance. Darren begins working in the nightclub in the reptile enclosure in Zoo 3. Time passes, and Darren sees two younger employees laughing with each other and one slams closed a cage, startling the sugar gliders inside. Darren stops and waits for the employees to move on so he won’t be seen, and then takes the cage and a folding chair to Zoo Free and releases the sugar gliders into Zoo Free. He and Dax grab a beer and hang out, watching the sugar gliders.

Georgia starts homeschooling Devin, which involves sometimes going into the zoo, and sometimes just working from textbooks. In Devin’s senior year of high school, Devin was able to connect to a homeschooling group although she hates the other teenagers in the group. Unfortunately, she still has to attend the homeschool prom, the theme of which is “classical Greece and socratic dialogue’. Devin packs for a trip with her friends from the homeschool group, as she has been signed up for an internship program for another zoo out of town. At age 28, a business-casual styled Devin walks into a zebra-striped meeting room (‘the savannah room’), and she gives a presentation on Zoo 8: The Zoo of the Future (“a zoo we can look forward to”).

Dax has received a promotion at Zoo 2 (more responsibility but no pay raise). Though he has less to do with the animals, he can see Zoo Free from his office window. Irritated by his opinions on animal care being ignored by upper management, Dax returns his attention to Zoo Free, choosing the animal’s food and creating the Biggest Little Animal exhibit in the world (signposted as ‘absolutely proof of concept’), which is nice and fun even if it hasn’t taken Bluff City by storm. Dax writes and self-publishes a tell-all book about his experiences with the Bluff City zoo system, including releasing the animals and the fish plan. He ends the book with Dudley’s death, as he believes Dudley has died. The book makes very little impact on the world. Dax and Darren head into the woods, planning to catch a skunk for Zoo Free (they specifically want a wild skunk as a descented skunk is against species code).

Dudley visits the Big Wigs Casino, winning big on behalf of Ralph. During an interview on a late night talk show, Dudley uses the term ‘the zoo is a body’ which several high-profile Bluff City people latch onto. Dudley lounges by a pool that has a large crocodile in it, while he smokes a cigar. On his 63rd birthday, the Zoo Society of Bluff City gifts Dudley with a rare rainbow betta fish for his years of service. On his 84th birthday (a Friday), Dudley collects his milk, a beautiful blend from Irish cows (his favourite).


Cast[edit | edit source]