Fantasy Interview | Taro

"Animal Fantasy Interviews" gives a glimpse into the hidden true thoughts of animals.

This time, we will be featuring Taro, a raccoon who runs an apology agency in the forest. Taro started the first apology agency in the forest three years ago.

A proxy apology? In the forest? I'm sure many of you are wondering the same thing. I couldn't believe my ears at first either.

However, the more I listened to him, the more I understood why Taro chose to become an apology agent, and the reality of life in the forest. Today, Taro is extremely busy, with clients ranging from ____ to ____. Today, I asked Taro about finding your strengths and making a living from what you're good at.

-The first thing that comes to mind is, why are you apologizing on behalf of Mori?

That's right. There were two reasons: "Because there were a lot of animals that wanted it" and "Because it was a good fit." One time, my friend Michiru asked me to go and apologize on her behalf. She was very grateful, and I started getting requests from 2-3 animals a month. That's when I started to think, "Could this be a job...?"

-Because it was a good fit for you?

I've only recently come to realize that I have a "forgiving face." My friend says that the roundness of my eyes is the key. I guess I was born with a natural disposition that made me more suited to apologizing.

-Have you been apologizing a lot since you were a child?

No, I mean, I was forgiven without even apologizing.

When I broke off a deer's antler, or when I burst out laughing at a crocodile that had slipped in the rain. I sensed their anger and kept quiet, and they walked away with a dumbfounded look on their face. I think people around me thought, "What a lucky guy."

-But that leads to work.

Yes. There are many situations in the human world where we need to apologize. Of course, the same is true in the forest. And just like humans, the animals that live in the forest don't like to apologize either.

-For example, when would you go and apologize?

Recently, they've asked for an apology because they were found out to have skipped their turn to cook, or they've eaten the food they had been saving, or they were shaking a tree trunk and ended up injuring a bird high up in the tree.

It depends on the case, but if I go and apologize with a gift like walnuts or a beautiful leaf, the issue is often resolved peacefully. I choose my words quite carefully, though.

-Don't you hate apologizing when it has nothing to do with you?

You're right, I think that's a common feeling. But I don't particularly dislike it. In fact, if you can get paid for this and make a living from it, I think there's no easier job. I think everyone has had the experience of being praised for some reason even though they didn't try hard. For me, that meant apologizing.

-It's truly your calling. How do you think people can find out what they're good at?

I guess if someone asks you to do something, you just have to try it. My motivation for doing something was when a friend asked me to do it and they were happy. My friends have seen me up until now and they ask me because they think I can do it, so I think their intuition is usually right. I'm digressing a bit, but that's why I'm so grateful to my friend Michiru.

-By the way, what did you do, Michiru?

I wonder if I'm allowed to say this (laughs), but there are a lot of bees living nearby, and she licked a little bit of honey. Just a little bit. Then, from then on, she was attacked by the bees every day. She was so scared she couldn't leave the house, so she contacted me. Michiru is a wild boar. That wild boar that is famous for being violent. It's a really pathetic story, isn't it (laughs)?

-You can't let your guard down even with a small swarm... Even a wild boar can't stand up to a large number of bees.

Well, that's true (laughs). It's my own fault. But that's where I get my money, so it's frustrating not to say it's bad or anything... It's best to avoid trouble, but it does happen.

-The forest and the human world are the same. Any final words?

Yes. I'm a lazy raccoon who wants to live an easy life. If I can do my best in my current situation, then I should. But I couldn't do my best, so I looked for something else. No matter how narrow your situation may be, I think there are things that everyone can do without trying too hard.

But if you make a mistake and cause trouble to someone, please call me. I'll come running to you with walnuts and beautiful leaves.