The Bachelor/Bachelorette Auction proved to be one of the bigger events of the Thanksgiving holiday for Animalia and for JT it was a resounding success. There were certain forms and agreements that Animalia had wanted, but many of them made sense, and while many of these things were typically understood within the concept, JT had seen no reason to argue with Clara or anyone else on the issue. Given how new Animalia really was, many of these sorts of things would be something that would be expected. Animalia wouldn't want to be exploited, just as anyone wouldn't want to be exploited.
That was something that JT easily supported, as it'd help Animalia further integrate with humanity in the sense of learning new things, and in the end would help the hurricane victims from earlier in the fall. While some places like Houston were starting to recover, there was still a lot of cleaning up to do, and from what he'd seen on the news with Puerto Rico that they STILL needed help, despite the government's claim of "mission accomplished." While JT generally tended to vote Republican, his views were more in line with what could be termed, "compassionate Conservatism" that heavily emphasized doing the right thing by your neighbors and helping them when possible, and that was his main goal in the Auction... to try and help those who truly needed it.
And so, JT had thrown himself into the role as auctioneer and directing the auction as it went. Things progressed in a way that let everything flow well and move forward, and once one had won their bid for a date, they were free to either schedule a date or go directly to it. That winning bidder would also be prohibited from bidding again. And while the format also did try to limit the auction being dominated by rich people, though many of the super wealthy actually didn't come to the auction, that didn't mean that there weren't some that did and that they didn't take advantage of that...
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"I can't believe you bid that much on ME!" Jill said with some surprise to the man that had won a date with her at the auction. She'd had some nervousness that anyone would make bids for her, as while as an American Alligator Animalian she did have all the curves that Animalians were known for, and despite having a more plantigrade style foot she was also reasonably tall, there was the sensation that her long rounded snout, greenish-black scales with a creamish-yellow underbelly wasn't going to be supper attractive to many, as she'd found trying to find some company in both Animalia and in Lyre. The Alligators from the zoo were all mated to each other and most in Lyre, while they'd been friendly, hadn't shared the same interest in the Alligator as she had.
"It was nothin' for me, ma'am," the man who had won the bid, a man named Beauregard Shucks, said with a small smile, "a pretty miss like you deserves some love and attention... and perhaps a worthy cause."
"A worthy cause?" Jill wondered as they walked along.
"Yes," Beauregard answered, "a worthy cause... and one you'd clearly represent."
Jill only raised one eye ridge at that.
"The American Alligator is the state reptile of my home in Louisiana, and in a way I've had somethin' of a soft spot for them," Beauregard answered, "Strong, yet sleek... fierce, yet protective... Before Animalia, reptiles generally don't look after their young. Alligators DO. The mother guards them and that let's 'em grow with some safety."
"You're a conservationist..." Jill surmised as Beauregard opened one of the doors that lead them outside and leading them toward his car.
"As a hobby," Beauregard chuckled, "my family made money in real estate and I did even better than my folks did. Earned a lot of money and I do take pride in that... but it also let me see a lot of Louisiana and see a lot of places that are rather different from places like Baton Rouge or New Orleans... places that look more untouched and natural. And while many animals have done well... and the Alligator is actually among them... there's still something of a balance to be struck. And at times exotics get in and cause trouble. In Louisiana, it's be the Coypu or Nutria. Digging burrows into river sides and swamps... pretty much wrecking havoc, but the gators have taken to eating them and to me have proven valuable in preserving Louisiana's wild as it SHOULD be. So at work and in private... I've felt it big to try and protect those lands and protect the American Alligator. And you could help in that cause..."
"To work for you?" Jill wondered, sounding a bit suspicious.
"If things don't work out... sure," Beauregard opened his car's back door for her, as his front seat wasn't configured to work with her tail, which Jill did notice, "but... I was hopin' that it'd be more that you'd be workin' with me. To speak on behalf of a wonderful animal and the preservation of nature... and if you don't want to work in real estate... I'm sure I could help you get set up with whatever you want... But for the moment, that'd be all to find out... wouldn't it?"
"Yes," Jill said slowly.
And from there the date actually went rather well. Beauregard seemed very curious about the things Jill did, ranging from her job to likes and dislikes and why she choose to be an Animalian. He also showed her pictures of his home, which was rather impressive and surrounded by swampland in a part of rural Louisiana that looked rather nice, and even included one set of shots that actually showed a male Alligator moving through the area near his home. It was a level of attention that Jill didn't expect, but was rather happy to receive. And while there was no rush into marriage or calls made to Horizon, Jill did find herself more than willing for a second date, which Beauregard promised would be soon, possibly around Christmas, complete with a flight to Louisiana to see some of the sites near his home and all the things that Beauregard promised made his part of the state beautiful. Jill accepted the offer at the end of the night.
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And many of the dates went like that. Not all of them necessarily had the same sort of hope for a lasting romance as Jill's did, but there was no great problems, and often, even with the dates that didn't promise much more that that first date, many of the pairs ultimately found a more "platonic" friendship in the making rather than romantic. A few of those dates also provided some offers for help in finding the proverbial Mr. or Mrs. Right. By the end of the Thanksgiving holiday, JT had heard some stories filter back to him on how these dates went, and that left him with the sense that it had worked out quite successfully. He'd raised money for people who needed it and gave some people the opportunity to be happy, and best of all, he got to see his sister and niece in the process. That made him happy.
And on the Monday morning after Thanksgiving as those in Lyre and Animalia resumed their normal every day lives, JT made one last trip to the Brown Farm. He'd tied the visit to Animalia and his business for the auction to include visiting with family, and while Martin and Josephine being Animalians had been a surprise to him, that hadn't changed his opinion on family. Thus before he headed home, he had made one last visit to say goodbye. And he was greeted at the door by Josephine.
"You're getting ready to dead out?" Josephine asked him.
JT nodded, "I have a long way to go and a lot of money to get into the proper donation centers that are working specifically with regard to hurricane relief. No time to waste... and you can be assured that I'll make sure they know that it was Animalia that made the donation possible... Show them how good you are."
Josephine nodded, she knew he'd have a long journey ahead of him and she couldn't hold him up too long, "Of course... Abby's already headed out to school, I'm afraid... but Martin is here, and if you could spare a few moments there is someone else."
That peaked JT's curiosity and he accepted, "I suppose I could share a coffee or something before I leave."
Josephine smiled and backed up to let JT in. She lead him into the kitchen and offered him a mug of coffee, though it smelled a bit different from the blends he was used to. Though, after the Thanksgiving dinner, JT figured that some food/coffee producer was experimenting with blends that would be better tailored to Animalians, who often had diets that could be rather restrictive. Humans could eat a great many things as omnivores, and some Animalians that had come species that were also omnivorous could do reasonably well on the same diet, but there were many Animalians that were strictly herbivorous or strictly carnivorous that didn't respond well to one side or the other or to the artificial sweeteners and substances that went into some foods. New blends for things like coffee seemed to fit with that. JT accepted it.
As he took a sip, he found Martin there also standing by and surprisingly there was also a Mare Animalian that he didn't recognize. Like any other Animalian she was quite muscular and as a female was quite curvaceous, but JT also noted that she also stood a bit shorter than Josephine and was largely covered in white fur with some reddish brown spots in places on her head and neck. She made a soft but shy smile.
"JT... this is Spotted Tail, she was one of the horses rescued from the fighting ring last year," Josephine introduced the new mare.
"It is a pleasure to me ya," JT offered Spotted Tail his hand which she shook, "You work with my sister?"
"From time to time... I've actually found myself working at the Great Hall," Spotted Tail answered, "counting the funds Animalia has for projects that the town wants to do and passing that on to the City Council or to Robbie or Clara. That sort of thing."
"Ah... a civil servant," JT smiled, "did you have a good Thanksgiving?"
"Yes," Spotted Tail answered, "the dinner was lovely and the bachelor/bachelorette auction was quite interesting to be at..."
JT blinked for a moment as he thought over the people that had been at the auction and had been bid on for the offered "date." However, he couldn't have placed Spotted Tail among any of the "contestants."
"I don't think..." JT began.
"Oh, I wasn't there to be bid on," Spotted Tail said shyly and looked down for a moment, "I was there to watch and had an interest in someone..."
JT blinked again. He was glad to have provided her with an entertaining evening during the auction, but for the moment he wasn't sure how that really related to him. However, he didn't want to be impolite in his sister's home in front of someone who was likely a friend of Martin and Josephine.
"Well... I hope you had a good time and that you and your love interest are very happy," JT said politely.
"We could be," Spotted Tail spoke as JT began to take a sip from his coffee.
The result was a great surprise and JT nearly dropped the mug he was holding. Nothing was spilled out of the mug, though JT did a massive spit-take that had all three of the Horse Animalians taking a step back. He'd never expected anyone to have interest in him and his surprised look of confusion soon betrayed that. It was ultimately Martin who explained.
"As was said, Spotted Tail does help around the farm a bit when not busy with her work at Animalia's city hall," Martin spoke, "and MANY of the animals that used to be livestock that we kept here on our farm have been rather friendly and supportive of us. It's partially why Josephine got elected onto Animalia's city council even BEFORE she became an Animalian."
"And since Martin and I become Horse Animalians, that sort of bond has become even tighter with the other Horse Animalians in Animalia," Josephine added, "Spotted Tail spotted you and I walking one day and came by to visit on a day when you were talking directly with Clara or on some other business in Lyre."
"You told no lies, I hope?" JT asked with a small smile.
"They told me you were Josephine's brother and that you'd been very supportive of their marriage and in the end of Animalia," Spotted Tail spoke.
"When Animalia came out... sure," JT nodded, "but what made you interested in me... I'm a might old for you."
"Double dosing... particularly when using DNA from one younger than you would restore your youth and vigor," Josephine commented, "you should know that..."
"And well... I suppose it's a bit of interest in what they told me that you do... working as an auctioneer with regard to livestock sales for human society," Spotted Tail answered, "Sure some of it is to garner meat to feed people and some is simply transferring ownership, but as they also explained your purposes for the bachelor/bachelorette auction... there was also something that struck me that you were a very caring person."
"I suppose I am... and I've tried ta be," JT admitted and looked over to Josephine for a moment, "and I suppose I ought to confess that a lot of my visits to see you and Martin... and of course Abby has been that I've in a way missed the sort of happiness that you've had together."
"I've noticed," Josephine gave a smile.
"And I would like to help... if you'd let me," Spotted Tail offered, "even if it means relocating..."
JT was silent for a moment and then shrugged, "well... I don't suppose that couldn't be a problem in the long run, if you're okay with moving to Texas... but ya kinda startled me a bit and even with the Animalia Virus... it'd be a might early for nuptials."
Spotted Tail nodded in agreement. There were times when she could be a bit shy, and that had really kept her away from some of the other single stallions in Animalia. It wasn't that they were bad or mean, but they were often confident and even "out there" at times, and with some also having been part of the fighting ring, there were some things that amounted to wanting to avoid flashbacks of that sort of thing. But from all that could be described to her, JT seemed like a very kind and friendly individual, who like the Browns did very well with animals, and that seemed to be confirmed to her with the fact that his goal for the auction was to help people, many of which being people that he'd likely never met. That sort of thing attracted her to him.
"But Christmas isn't too far away," JT commented, "as some things calm down... I suppose I could make the time to come up for the holidays and we can get to know each other more then..."
"That'd be nice," Spotted Tail nodded.
JT then set his mug down and looked about and found a small notepad sitting on a counter by the refrigerator. Taking it and a nearby pencil, of rather large size, he then wrote down his email address and cellphone number and then handed the slip to Spotted Tail.
"Ya can even contact me on either of these," he then said to her, "If ya want."
"Thank you," Spotted Tail gave a smile and then headed out through the back door, leaving JT to turn to Josephine.
"You two certainly have found ways to surprise me this trip," JT gave a chuckle.
"In some ways... you deserve the surprises," Josephine smiled, "and in many ways... given how often you've come to visit and then showered attention on Abby... you really haven't hidden that you've wanted happiness like that fairly well... Spotted Tail might give you that chance..."
"I suppose," JT admitted, "my job as an auctioneer always kept me on the move... never could truly stay in one place or at home long enough to really win that sort of thing... She'd be okay with that?"
"She's good with finances and budgeting," Josephine commented, "she might be quite willing to help you... though it may also mean you having to make some choices if you do hit it off..."
JT nodded, "Right... Still... Thank you. I'd best be going, as I do have a long way to go. And I suppose I'll see ya'll again in a few weeks for Christmas."
"Have a safe journey," Martin smiled to him.
"Stay safe and be good to my sister," JT smiled back and finished his visit with hugs for both of them, Martin, a good man who'd won his sister's heart and become a good friend, and Josephine, his sister who'd love as any big brother would until the end of his days.