The Dolphin Chef

In collaboration with Carynn Lai, I created a piece of fiction from interviewing her and gaining inspiration from her answers. 
Word count: 779

“Why are you a dolphin trainer if you want to be a chef?” Delphinus, my friend, asks me. I finish pulling all the fish into the barrel for the dolphins to eat. I shrug my shoulders not really knowing how else to answer that. He rolls his eyes and moves off of the blue plastic chair we have out back. He walks up to me and puts his arm around my shoulder. “This place doesn’t offer anything you want, you need to go out there and grab it by the balls!” he says. I look at him with a roll of my eyes.

“If I wanted to be a chef, you think I’d stay here this long?” I ask him.

“Oh come on Maeen, you know as much as I do how much you want to be a chef. Why are you here in this place of all places, if you want to be a chef?” He asks.

“Because Delph,” I begin my onslaught onto my friend, “I need money. Being a dolphin trainer ranks in that money that I don’t have to go and study or open up my own restaurant. Besides, how would I become a chef?”

I didn’t feel the need to study being a chef, as I have set up a blog for the recipes I make, and I even mention the ones that I make from popular chefs or other places I find online. A lot of my co-workers follow it and tell me about the recipes they’ve made from it. It makes me happy to know that what I create helps open up a door for my co-workers to explore something new. My parents are the one who instilled this love of cooking. Hell, my whole family is the reason why I love cooking. The days we meet up and have a big family dinner are important to me - family is important to me.

“Your loss then Maeen, your loss!” Delphinus said as he walks off. I roll my eyes once more. I make my way to the dolphin pool to feed the animals in the tank before the big show, many people came by and watched me feed them, the little kids were pointing out the dolphins to their parents. I smiled and waved. There isn’t a show on today so it isn’t hugely important that I was there and people were watching me.

The marine mammal park I work at is a small park, a small business run by a family. I came on after I finished my studies. I could’ve gone back home or I could’ve worked at Sea World, but this place feels more like a home to me. Usually, everyone would have their individual jobs, but due to the small park and the small number of co-workers, we usually double up on our jobs. Not only do I train the dolphins, I also fed them and handled them.

Delphinus couldn’t let the idea go, he really wanted to see me try and pursue being a chef. He asks me the same question every day when I had to clean the fish and put them in the container. I would reply with the same answer and we’d rinse and repeat.

“You’re worried about losing your job aren’t you?” He asks me after looking at his phone for a while.

“Yeah,” is all I reply with.

“Would you study and work at the same time?” He asks me.

“Yes…” I trail off and turn around to face him, “what’s with all the questions?”

“Nothing!” He quickly replies and gets off the blue plastic chair, leaving me alone to work on this fish - like I had originally planned.

Delphinus, the big idiot he is, has told everyone at work that he wants to see me as a chef. Of course, what a stupid idea in the long run because who wants to hire me as a chef? But word got wind and Delphinus asks for me to come for a walk during our lunch break.

“What do you want Delph?” I ask him. He laughs and smiles as he pops a chip in his mouth.

“Well, Maeen, I decided that you should get this!” He hands me a letter, I pass him my lunch and open it. It’s a letter of acceptance to the top culinary school. I scream, making all of the birds scatter.

“NO FUCKING WAY!” I yell. “NO FUCKING WAY!”

“Way! Now go on and become that chef you always wanted to be!”

“Thank you!” I grab onto him and bring him into a tight embrace. Who knew a dolphin trainer could eventually one day become a chef!