02 | video (backdated to the 27th)

[fistofthejoestar]

[the video opens to the sound of the Thanksgiving dog show in the background and Jonathan settled contentedly on the couch, clad inexplicably in a turtleneck featuring the four Pac-Man ghosts. he smiles cheerfully.]

This isn't my holiday, but I hope that everyone who celebrates has been having a good time. I'm not entirely certain what purebred dogs have to do with being thankful, but I'm certainly grateful for the opportunity to watch them.

I never realized that dogs would be among the things that had changed in the future, but I suppose it shouldn't come as a surprise. People are always looking to improve their breed however they can.

Perhaps it's a bit childish, but owning a dog again is one of the things I'm looking forward to most when I finally feel able to leave the government housing. It's been a while since I've had a pet.

[he scratches his cheek, the smile becoming a tad nostalgic for a moment of two. the television announces the start of judging for the hound group and he shakes himself out of it easily with a roll of the shoulders.]

Ah, but I hadn't meant to simply chatter away about inanities! I've been thinking about this for a bit, and I wanted to ask someone who was more experienced in the matter - how does finishing one's education work here?

There's no way I could prove my qualifications, after all, but I'd like to finally graduate if at all possible. It's the principle of the thing.

[finally completing his degree feels kind of like a symbolic closing of the worst chapter of his life, even if in Heropa that wasn't technically true. and it would give him a little more confidence in perhaps looking for a job actually related to his field of interest.]

Thank you for your time.

Comments

we hate ourselves i guess

[fistofthejoestar]

[oh my god Joseph. Jonathan's ears get a healthy dusting of red for a moment before a mischievous expression settles in. somehow he manages to lean over the dog and make a grab at his grandson's leg with the intention of pulling him down to the ground with everyone else.

YOU RECORD THE MOMENT YOU BECOME PART OF THE MOMENT PREPARE TO EXPERIENCE DOG SLOBBER KID]

[trickstar]

Ahhh-!

[Okay, he wasn't expecting that. If only because he doesn't expect anything even remotely sneaky from Jonathan, which is a vast underestimation of character on Joseph's part. He should have known that the childish streak he has didn't just come from nowhere. Down he falls on his ass, fumbling for his phone as he goes and ending the recording mid-air. This does not, however, prevent the dog from coming over and forcing Joseph to join in the slobber party.

Drool is one of Joseph's like... least favorite things. But if it's from a dog... he'll tolerate it better. And how can he keep a straight face when there's this giant mastiff-something on him, licking at his face.]

Pffffftthhh- J- Jonathan! Get him off me!

[He's laughing while saying this though so he can't be that mad.]

[fistofthejoestar]

Why are you asking me that? I haven't trained him!

[but this is also said between laughs, so it's kind of hard to take the protestation very seriously. he lets the dog bestow its drooly love on this new member of the family for a few minutes before proving that even if he hasn't trained him, Jonathan may have taught him a couple tricks during his visit. with a pat on the ground and a soft 'come' the monster gives Joseph one last lick before trotting happily back to jump inelegantly into Jonathan's lap.]

[standsproud]

I guess we've gotten a lot better at genetics.

[fistofthejoestar]

We've certainly had enough time to improve. In many parts of the world humans have been selectively breeding domesticated animals before they'd even developed a written language system.

[do you care about this Jotaro because you're learning about it anyway]

[trickstar]

[Of course. Of course he taught him a few tricks. Jonathan loves this big stupid mutt, and Joseph (while judging his taste) can't blame him. He heard from Erina that Jonathan had a dog, although she never did tell Joseph what happened.

He can only guess.

Joseph wipes the spit off his face with the back of his arm, and sighs.]

What's his name?

[fistofthejoestar]

Harvey, I believe. But since the shelter doesn't do any obedience training with their dogs, whoever adopts them are free to rename.

[ok, so maybe he's looked into things a little bit because Jonathan loves torturing himself at every possible opportunity. all of his responses are now coming with his head gently resting on the dog's back, because while the animal seems to have calmed down considerably, it certainly shows no signs of wanting to move anytime soon.]

It's fortunate. I'm not certain it fits him very well, to be perfectly honest.

[standsproud]

It's bizarre, thinking about it. Didn't they all come from the wolf, to start with?

All the dogs in the world descended from that one animal.

[fistofthejoestar]

It really speaks to how amazing genetics is, that a single species can be manipulated for so many different jobs. If left to nature, it's unlikely that so many would have sprung forth.

[standsproud]

They knew about genetics in the 1800s?

[fistofthejoestar]

Not in the same sense as you do now, or even by the same name, but there were certainly people dedicating their lives to the field.

[he chuckles a little]

Of course, people have always had an understanding of the results even before we started looking into the complexities. Even prehistoric cultures could refine the animals they subsisted off of.

[standsproud]

Hm. That's true. Breed a fast dog with a fast dog, you get a faster dog.

[fistofthejoestar]

Keep at it for a few hundred years and eventually you'll have a greyhound on your hands. It's a bit more difficult when breeding for more abstract traits, but the general principle holds.

[standsproud]

You like dogs, huh.

[fistofthejoestar]

[he laughs a little sheepishly, scratching at his cheek idly]

I do, yes. They're some of the most selfless animals I've ever met - and one was my best friend during childhood.