A/N: Argh... these loooong titles are killing me...!!
The next instant the three men froze when they heard the loud beeping sound of the cherry picker approaching.
Concertmaster Eddy said;
"That's bad, isn't it??"
Zookeeper Brett responded;
"Yes, that's very bad!!"
Firefighter Brett said;
"I'll go stop it...!!"
And he sprinted off back the way they came from, towards the direction the cherry-picker was approaching them.
---------------------------------------------
Concertmaster Eddy followed Firefighter Brett run off with his eyes.
"Wow, he's so agile..."
"Eddy, he's a Firefighter, of course he is."
"Hmm, I suppose. Brett, did you notice he kinda looks like you?"
Zookeeper Brett blinked.
"What? Does he? I didn't notice."
"Brett, he does. He's way more tanned than you and his hair is cut so short but he really does looks like you. It's weird.. how you two have the same name and..."
"Um, sorry Eddy... I'm afraid I've been too worried about the owl and haven't been paying attention to much else.."
"Oh, yes, of course. I'm sorry.. of course."
"Eddy...!!! Eddy!!!"
Firefighter Brett waved his arm as he approached Firefighter Eddy on the cherry-picker. He slid his finger along his neck to signal to kill the sound of its beep.
Firefighter Eddy saw Firefighter Brett's signal and turned off the beeper immediately.
"Thanks. The zookeeper said it could otherwise frighten... it away."
"Okay.. if I can't use the beeper I need you to walk in front of me & ward off people."
"Sure. I haven't seen the actual tree yet but we should be close."
"Okay. Lead the way."
Meanwhile, Concertmaster Eddy had lead Zookeeper Brett to a tree and Brett was delighted to confirm with his own eyes that Eddy had rightly spotted Francis, the barking owl, in it. They waited for the arrival of Firefighter Brett leading Firefighter Eddy on the cherry-picker. Once all 4 were underneath the tree in question, Firefighter Brett asked;
"So... how are we going to do this?"
Firefighter Eddy asked Zookeeper Brett;
"Do you think this is something that Brett and I could bag ourselves?"
Zookeeper Brett raised an eyebrow, then replied;
"As in you two guys ? Um.. I really think I should be there.. you won't be able to get her into a bag.. I'd get her back onto my arm then I could put her back into her carrier we brought with us."
The four noticed another young man in a zoo uniform wheeling along a cart that looked like a large dog carrier.
Firefighter Brett replied;
"Alright then, Eddy I think you should stay on then, Brett, I'll help you get up on the platform with him, are you ready?"
"Hang on a sec, let me get ready."
Zookeeper Brett removed his backpack and pulled out what looked like a long, oversized leather glove and wore that on his left arm. He also pulled out a small pouch and clipped it onto his belt.
Firefighter Brett asked;
"What's in that?"
"Francis' food."
Zookeeper Brett loosened the drawstring of the pouch and widened its opening. Firefighter Brett peered inside and grimaced and looked away.
"Oookay... So, up this way... watch your step as you climb up there."
Firefighter Brett gave instructions to Zookeeper Brett on how to move up onto the platform of the cherry-picker where Firefighter Eddy was. Firefighter Eddy held out his hand for Zookeeper Brett to grab to assist him up onto the platform. Firefighter Eddy then placed a helmet on the zookeeper's head and when he noticed Brett's left hand was covered with a bulky glove, he assisted Brett by adjusting the straps and trying to clip the fastener together.
"Hey Brett, look up this way please..."
As Firefighter Eddy held both his hands up near Zookeeper Brett's jaw, he could not help notice the face he was looking into seem terribly familiar.
Why does he look so bloody familiar?
Zookeeper Brett heard the clasp being clicked together.
"Thank you. Are we ready to go up now ?"
"Almost. Let's get you in a harness too."
Once Zookeeper Brett was secured in with a safety harness, Firefighter Eddy operated the cherry-picker to elevate themselves upwards towards the branch where Francis the barking owl was.
Firefighter Eddy was looking up towards the owl when he felt a tap on his foot. He quickly glanced down and noticed Zookeeper Brett had placed his foot right next to Firefighter Eddy's. Firefighter Eddy looked at Brett and noticed he looked pale. His right hand that was holding onto the side railing showed his knuckles protruding white.
"Brett?? Are you alright?"
"Um, yeah..."
"You sure?? Are you always this pale??"
"I... I'm a bit scared of heights."
"Oh sh*t."
"It's.. it's okay!! I need to do this."
"Okay.. is there anything I can do?"
"Can I just keep my foot next to yours touching like this?"
"Huh? Yeah, of course you can. If that helps."
"Um.. yeah, I think it's the contact.. it helps.. thanks..."
Firefighter Eddy thought it was funny how Zookeeper Brett had done this because it reminded him of his colleague who's been doing the exact same thing whenever they were on an elevated location together......
OMG
Firefighter Eddy stared at Zookeeper Brett. Zookeeper Brett looked back.
"Eddy?"
"OMG... Brett, I just noticed how you look so much like my colleague Brett.."
Zookeeper Brett shrugged.
"Do I? Sorry I didn't notice but my boyfriend actually said that as well. I also since noticed you kinda look like my boyfriend, too."
"D.. do I?!"
"Yeah.. I mean, you're bigger, more tanned and your hair looks different... but yeah..."
"...So you guys are together, huh."
Zookeeper Brett smiled.
"Yeah."
"That's nice."
"...and you guys aren't ?"
Firefighter Eddy was taken aback.
"WHAT !?!?"
But Zookeeper Brett's attention was now occupied with something else.
"...Francis...!"