Clemens was genuinely concerned over what Jenny had told him as he changed out of the uniform he wore at the zoo. As with Jenny he knew full well that despite the fact that the 1964 Civil Rights Act was extended to protect the rights of Animal People and that the civil suit that allowed for the Animatrix Serum to be sold over the counter, he knew that the responses weren't always going to be good. People that didn't support Animal People were always out there. Clemens remembered that in his own coworkers when they pulled their prank to get him either killed by a crowd of angry parents or at least fired for negligence. He also remembered what Joseph had told him about the nonsense that Pierre Beauregard had pulled against Molly. It all spoke volumes about things that Joseph had told him from time to time on how the lessons of the build up to the American Civil War, the tribulations after it, and problems of legal racism in the form of segregation that lead to the civil rights movement being whitewashed over in American history to make it seem as if these issues were minor and not a problem and the major comparison with Germany which couldn't really escape the "legacy" of Adolf Hitler. Other nations weren't likely to let the Germans forget while nothing was really there to remind those that were small minded to forget the mistakes that created issues like the coworkers that unleashed a bunch of venomous snakes on children or a greedy rancher that started a racist movement for rather petty reasons.
The fact that Jenny had two of her coworkers bullying her was enough to remind Clemens on the fact that while progress was being made, it wasn't complete. The trouble, though, was to Clemens that Jenny was suffering for his choices. A part of his mind wondered if he should let Jenny go free so that way no one would be able to be mean to her. Part of him wanted to confront the two bullies and to tell them to leave her alone. Part of him just wanted to hold Jenny and assure her that he would be there for her.
"You okay?" came Jenny's voice as he made his way back into the kitchen/dinning area of the apartment, looking rather distant.
Her voice made him look up. Jenny was presently placing what would be their dinner onto a pair of plates, which confirmed the obvious that dinner wasn't too far away. On some level, that was a good thing, that Jenny could recover and carry on, though it didn't change the concerns he had over what Jenny had told him. Realizing that Jenny had caught him in his thoughts, he gave a rather heavy sigh and began to scratch the back of his head.
"I'm fine... jusssst thinking over ssome thingss," Clemens said slowly.
Jenny did catch on with the tone, "You're not thinking on going after Jason, are you?"
"A part of me would ccertainly like to," Clemens slowly admitted, "but no... I wasssn't seriousssly thinking that... It was more... more..."
"More what?" Jenny asked.
"That... that thisss wass my fault," Clemens answered, "It'ss sssilly, I know... but it'ss something that'ss gone through my mind."
"It's not your fault," Jenny assured him, "It's like you told me, not everyone has the reminders of their mistakes and thus learn slower..."
Jenny then lifted up the two plates and began to carry them over to the dinning table while Clemens took his seat. She placed one plate at Clemens's place at the table and then then placed her plate at her place beside him. She then went back for the glass of water for Clemens and the wine for herself before she considered her answer.
"And... even if you are at "fault," I'd still stay with you," Jenny continued, "You're a good man, regardless of your species. And it really is a shame there aren't more like you."
That answer comforted Clemens a little, and he managed a smile as Jenny returned to the table and sat down beside him.
"If only cloning wasss legal," Clemens joked.
Jenny only shook her head and began eating. She didn't mean that she wanted multiple "Clemens" out there. She meant that she wished more people were as understanding as he was, and she was pretty sure he knew that as well. Hence why he made the joke. On some level it actually did make her feel better. It was essentially all in good humor.
"So... how was your day?" Jenny asked, "I trust your day was better than mine?"
"In a way, yes," Clemens nodded, "at leasst in the senssse that there wass no bullying going on..."
This actually raised some curiosity on Jenny's part. Clemens had said that he'd had a good day, but the way he'd said it gave some indication that something did go on that made Jenny curious as to what it was.
"What was it?" Jenny asked after she swallowed what she'd been chewing.
"A private pet owner," Clemens answered, "owned a Green Iguana... which appeared ssick..."
"They are legal to own... right?" Jenny asked.
"With the right paperwork, which the owner did have," Clemens nodded, "the issssssue though, iss that the zzzoo's vet doessssn't run a private practiccce for people's petss. No, with ssome petss, our vetss might be involved, depending on the speccies... but the Green Iguana is ssuch a common pet that many vetss are actually familiar with it. We couldn't treat the pet... and whatever wass "wrong" with it wass ssomething that could be fixxed with a better diet..."
"Not enough food?" Jenny wondered.
"More the wrong type of food," Clemens answered, "apparently the sstore the owner bought the iguana at gave bad advicce on how to feed the lizzzzard which lead to the pet'sss poor health... but it wassn't too bad..."
"The owner didn't not care about the pet...?" Jenny asked, feeling some relief at Clemens' story on his day.
"Oh... sssshe cared very much," Clemens gave a sigh, "and threw a hissssy fit when my vetss tried to exxxplain the procccedure regarding how we would get involved in treating private petss. Claimed that we didn't care and drew me out of my officcce."
Jenny actually managed to stifle a laugh.
"I take it she didn't take your helping your vets any better?" Jenny managed to ask.
"You wouldn't believe," Clemens answered with a bit of a chuckle, "In the end... we had to make an appointment for her with a vet that doess have ssssome familiarity with the Green Iguana..."
"I suppose that was a rough day, then...?" Jenny asked.
"Oh... not really," Clemens answered, "it wassn't bad... it was jussst.... odd."
Jenny did chuckle, feeling a bit better. What Jacob and Jason did was awful and it did get to her,she wasn't about to change her mind with regard to whether or not she would stay with Clemens, and what Clemens had told her made sense. And at the same time, hearing about Clemens' day, and being able the laugh with him about his day's adventure with an apparently distraught and confused pet owner did make her feel better. It made her feel comfortable in being able to share things with Clemens, who regardless of his scales was just as much a person as she was. The comfort she felt gave her some confidence.
Seeing Jenny smile and relax also made Clemens feel better. He knew the issues with people were "anti-Animal People" would probably be around for quite a while, and the fact that people would decide to bully her over her choice in who she loved was enough to frustrate anyone when the bullying was directed at them. But, assured that Jenny didn't hold him responsible, Clemens felt relieved to be able to see Jenny smile. They'd get through this.