One Year. Part 1

Mark walked along the path towards the red-bricked registration building. His final year was about to start in university and he still wasn’t sure if he was looking forward to it yet. He had got very good grades and was on course to becoming one of the top graduates of the year, but he still hadn’t made any really good friends in his year. He just didn’t understand it, it wasn’t like he was weird or anything, he just didn’t really like going out and getting drunk every night, which was what everyone else seemed to be solely interested in. He sighed as he stepped through the doors, there were two long lines of people waiting to be registered. He stood at the end of one and started thinking about the work he would undoubtedly have when the lectures started. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw a familiar face looking at him. Mr Franks was one of his tutors, and one of the people Mark could actually say he liked talking to. Mr Franks smiled as he saw Mark and beckoned him over to where he was standing behind the line of desks. Mark walked up and greeted him cheerfully. Mr Franks was obviously about to open a new register and hopefully that meant Mark was now front of the Queue. Mark started getting his registration papers out from his bag and when he looked up, he found Mr Franks was watching him with a slight smile on his face. Mark smiled back and handed him the papers. Mr Franks started putting all the information into the computer whilst asking Mark how his summer had been. Mark talked of how he had stayed in the town, gotten himself a job and had tried to pay off some of his debts. Mr Franks always seemed to be interested in what he had to say and Mark felt like he could tell him nearly anything. As Mr Franks finished typing, he reached below the desk and came up holding an envelope. He turned to Mark and said, “I’ve got something here for you Mark. It’s an idea that we’ve been discussing for the past few years as a project for the whole university and I was wondering if you’d be interested in helping out?”
Mark was quite surprised. He knew that occasionally some students were asked to assist in experiments for science or were asked to give their opinions on films for media, but he hadn’t realized that drama students were considered for anything other than the musical society. He looked carefully at Mr Franks and asked, “What’s this about?”
Mr Franks smiled at him and replied “I can’t really explain it right now, it’s too long & detailed and I’ve got other students to register, but all the information is in here as well as the contact details if you’re interested.”
Mark took the envelope and stuffed it in his bag saying, “Sure, I’ll give it some thought.”
After saying goodbye, he turned and walked out of the building. As soon as he was out of sight, he ran back to the accommodation block where he was staying. He ran up the stairs, burst into his room and tore the letter open. Inside he read the printed writing quickly. When he had finished, he read it again to try and fully understand what was being offered.

To Mark Fitzpatrick

An opportunity has arisen for the University to conduct an experiment that could have international impact in many different fields of study. Research into the relationship between humans and domesticated pets has been cleared to commence on the 20th of September this year. We are currently looking for an experienced actor to take on a role and perform whilst being studied by different departments of the University. The following departments and their interests are listed below.

Psychology:
Loyalty level variations, Attitude to differing environments, Changing priorities, Human/Animal communication, Humiliation in domestication, Sexuality in Human/Animal relationships, Loss of independence, Study into differences between collar/harness/choke chain, Dependency on others, Sleep patterns.

Vetinary/Medical:
Alterations of human body build, Nutritional needs, Study into differences between collar/harness/choke chain,

This is not a definitive list and titles may be added or removed at a later date. The details of the role are as follows:

You will be asked to fulfil the role of a canine (breed to be chosen.) You will be kept as a domestic pet in a house for the period of one year, 20th September till 31st July, under the ownership of a chosen subject. You will keep a log of your experiences and will be allowed one hour a week to document your findings and spend doing anything you like i.e. wash, communicate vocally, etc. You be treated as a canine fully for the entire time except for this period inc,
You will be banned from using any speech, except that which has been agreed.
You will be banned from standing or walking on two legs.
You will be restrained in the use of your hands.
You may be asked to eat food not usually designated for human consumption.
You may be asked to wear specific clothing for the experiment.
You may be injected.

For this time, you’re current University grades will be kept allowing you to return to your studies after the one year period. All finances will be frozen and transferred until you resume your studies. In addition to this, you will be paid for your services.
If you are interested, or have any questions, please contact the project coordinator, Mrs Murray.

Mark couldn’t quite believe what he was reading. If he understood it correctly, the university were asking him to give up a year of his life to participate in some experiment, which meant he would have to act like a dog! A whole year, he thought to himself. He had never thought that he wouldn’t be graduating this year. And why had they asked him? Weren’t there so many other students who could be considered?
But then he thought to himself, why not? He didn’t have any commitments that he needed to keep to, he might get a bit of fame for this if it was so international, and besides, it might be a bit fun! After a while he decided to give them a call and find out a bit more about it. He could always say no if he didn’t want to do it.
He called the number on the letter and got through to a Mrs Murray. They arranged a meeting for later on that day. Mark spent the day tidying his room and rereading the letter until it was time to go to the meeting. When he got there, the room held a number of people Mark didn’t recognise, but when he entered the room a hush descended and each person looked at Mark. Blushing slightly, Mark pushed the door open and walked into the room. A woman came over to him and introduced herself as Mrs Murray, the woman on the phone. She showed him to a chair at one end of the room where she asked him to sit. The others sat behind desks around the room, looking intently at him. He started to ask them questions. He discovered that the project was being endorsed by universities from the USA, the UK, Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Australia and a host of other countries as well as being sponsored by several animal welfare charities. One of the people in the room explained that the whole project was going to be carefully monitored so the experience was as close as possible to him living like a dog. He was going to be eating, sleeping, toileting, living completely like a dog, even to the extent that, if the police found him on the street, he was going to be taken to the dog pound instead of to a place of his choosing. Apparently the whole community was going to be informed so they all knew to treat him as a dog and so not disrupt the research. One of the others in the room explained that they were considering giving him a spandex body suit so he wouldn’t be wearing any human clothing. Mark was slightly taken back by this. That meant that he was going to be practically naked for an entire year! Some of the people tried explaining why they were conducting the research and how each title would help them. Mark didn’t really understand most of these, but nodded his head anyway. He found out that he was only one of four candidates asked, but that someone had put his name forward as being suitable. He couldn’t think who it would have been, unless someone was playing a trick on him, but that just didn’t seem feasible. Mark noticed that some of the members of the group were making notes after every question and seemed to think that they had to start studying straight away.
Mark asked one of the questions that had been playing on his mind, who it was that was going to be looking after him. Mrs Murray looked at Mark and smiled. “It’s the same person who put your name forward, Mr Franks.”
Mark couldn’t quite believe it. It had been Mr Franks who had suggested him. He felt privileged that Mr Franks would have thought of him and even considered taking part in the project. At the end of the meeting, Mark stood up and said he would be happy to take part if it was Mr Franks who took him. Mrs Murray smiled and congratulated him, saying that everyone was extremely grateful to him. She gave him the details of where to go on the 20th, which was going to be a Friday. She then explained that he would need to get all his details, like doctor and bank details sorted out before the project started. Mark went back to his room and started to pack all his things ready to move them into storage. He couldn’t quite believe what he had done. He had agreed to be a dog for a year!

To be continued…