Showing posts with label rabbits. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rabbits. Show all posts

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Star Quality!


Today I returned to the model talent agency to review Leroy's photos. Truth be told, I was completely prepared to have them try to scam me for more money. I mean, they called to confirm that I'd be in; why so eager?

I was wrong. Tony Soprano got out the disk, we looked at it on a big screen, and the shots were gorgeous. The photographer (his name is Ken, not Cam, as it turns out; Tony mumbles a bit) shoots in high resolution, and you could see every whisker on Leroy.

"So you sign this, which states that you have paid for your shots and you give us permission to market Leroy," Tony said, pushing a paper at me. I steeled myself. "Ah-HA!" I thought, "Here it comes."

Nope. It was just what Tony'd described. I signed it. 

"And here is a release for you stating that you have full rights to these photos, in case you want reprints made and the photo place wants to see something that says you can do it."

This was too easy.

"So how do you make your money?" I asked.

"We make the photos viewable, so casting agents can review them, and we can also email them if we get a call for rabbits. Then if they use Leroy, we get a 10% commission."

That seemed really -- reasonable. And he was being a really nice, low-key guy.

"It's too bad  -- I had a job several weeks ago looking for a rabbit, and we had none. Leroy's our only one now."

I imagined phone calls saying, "The stretch hybrid limo will pick Leroy up at 6am."

I imagined being on Oprah! explaining how I went from unemployment to untold riches from being the guardian of the Bunny Luv environmentally-friendly diaper bunny.

Perhaps I should put in a call to Lloyd's of London.



Spa-Dee-Da Disco!

It all began last month, when Red Door held its quarterly Spa-Dee-Da Day at the shelter. This is a fundraising event, and it goes like this: People bring their rabbits to the shelter, where they register them and select from a  menu of spa treatments including nail trim, ear cleaning, grooming, massage and glamor shots. Each treatment has a cost; participants pay and their rabbits are brought to a side room that has been emptied. Blankets line the floor, and volunteers perform the services requested.

Each Spa-Dee-Da Day has a theme, and this one was disco. I was volunteering, but I brought the bunnies for some glamor shots. When I walked in, Donna Summer was singing "Bad Girls" from a boom box, and a table laden with snacks (for humans and rabbits) was against the wall. I signed in my bunnies and, since I'd be there all day, put them in a clean cage. This is where I'd adopted Leroy, and he had a J'accuse! look on his face. I could practically read his thoughts: "I don't chew things, I use the litterbox, I've tolerated this whack job of a mini-lop, I have been a good boy. So why am I back here?!?!?"

Their cage was in the main rabbit area, and many rabbit people associated with the shelter felt free to hold the rabbits up for adoption. At one point I came in to see a young woman snuggling Amie. I could see one wide eye staring at me from behind the woman's neck.

"Oh my GOD," her face said.

I laughed and told the woman that Amie was mine, but that she should keep holding her because it was good for her. 

The time came for the glamor shots, and I brought Amie and Leroy to the "set," which looked like a TV set for dolls.  As I approached, Toni, the President, came up to me. 

"I need you." She handed me a mirror and some powder. "I need cocaine."

"You got it," I said. I headed to the kitchen, where I put a line of powder (ground papaya tablets, actually -- good for rabbit digestion) in a line on the mirror and rolled up a dollar bill.

All in all, the rabbits did pretty well, considering there were hot lights and costumes.  Toni was assisting the photographer for most of the day, and kept telling people, "I'm the fluffer." I finally asked her whether she knew what that term really meant. 

Big grin. "Yep."

I love this place.

 Amie was more agitated than Leroy, and moved around quite a bit; at the end of the shoot she actually leaped onto my shoulder, then to the floor, drawing gasps from everyone around.

"She's fine," I assured them. "She's just part squirrel."

So here, ladies and Gentlemen, I give you Amie and Leroy. Toot-toot; beep-beep.


"Costume and makeup are here!"


"Did someone say 'curley parsley'?"


"Hey Leroy, don't bogart the bunny blow!"


"C'mon Ladies... it's time for some night fever, night fever."