I had been planing to write this month’s spotlight on our operant conditioning specialist who I mentioned several posts ago, or Jill Brown, the last of our animal keepers for you to learn about, but something happened today and I thought I would tell you about Queen. (The picture is purposefully not great as Queen was very upset when I said I would be posting about her on the Blog).
Queen has been working at the Museum for OVER 28 YEARS! Queen has been helping me for years. She answers the phones, sorts the mail, orders supplies, and does just about anything anyone asks of her, AS LONG AS IT IS NOT ANIMAL RELATED!
So that gets me to what happened today. I get a radio call from Queen, “Come in animal department”. I respond, and she says she has a box of crickets. I think about it
and realize it is a box of superworms. I tell her I will be over soon, and then radio her again and tell her it will take me about 30 minutes. When I arrive, sitting across from her desk is the box of worms, with this paper towel over it- she couldn’t even handle looking at the box!
I laughed at her, and she laughed as well. She then reminded me of a story from about 15 or 16 years ago when she went to the post office to pick up the mail and she had to call one of the animal keepers (George, who is long gone) to come get the box of mealworms.
It’s amazing that we became so chummy (not Chummix) seeing as she is just not an animal person. When it comes down to it, Queen is a Museum staple, and the place just wouldn’t be the same without her!
Queen is also a lover of leopard patterns. Maybe if the Animal Dept. got a leopard, she could help take care of it! (She is also a connoisseur of tea – we have a tea exchange in Admin.) We love you, Queen!