Zeek Gets Schooled by Henrietta and the Hammerheads

Zoey and Zeek delve into the weird world of the Scalloped Hammerhead. See what happens when they get outnumbered by the bizarre Sphyrna lewini.

Zoey: Wow, this tank is dark—could someone please turn the lights up a bit?

Zeek: Let’s see. It’s time for our interview with the scalloped hammerhead shark.

Zoey: Hey, there’s one! And there’s another. Zeek! They’re everywhere!

Zeek: Look at their strange heads, Zoey. It’s as if we’re in an alien tank….on an alien planet!

Zoey: We’re surrounded! They’re circling us!

Zeek: I want my mommy!

Henrietta: Pardon me, do you have a problem, little mice?

Zoey: H-hello.

Henrietta: You must be here for the interview. Darlings, you are so cute. Henry! Henry, you must come look at these adorable little mice.

Henry: Oh, how do you do?

Zoey: Hi there. I’m Zoey and this is my colleague Zeek.

Zeek: Pleased ta meet ya.

Henrietta: I’m afraid you’ve caught me right in the middle of school.

Zeek: School?

Henrietta: Yes, of course. This is hammerhead school.

Zoey: Ah, a school of hammerheads. I got it.

Henrietta: You must come join our party, darling. We frequently travel in schools.

Zeek: Could you tell your friends not to circle us so much? They’re kind of creeping me out.

Henrietta: I’m afraid that’s the way we hammerheads were brought up. Come on now, girls, look sharp! We’re being reviewed now. Hyacinth, straighten that fin! Posture! Posture!

Zoey: They make their turns so gracefully! It’s wonderful how tight their turns are. They must have very flexible bodies.

Henrietta: But of course, darling.

Zeek: You really aren’t scary at all!

Henrietta: Scary? Preposterous. There is nothing scary about us.

Zeek: Though, you know, your heads are….well, they’re…a little unusual.

Henrietta: Indubitably. I prefer the term “unique.” No other shark—nay, no other fish in the sea looks quite like us, wouldn’t you agree?

Zoey: Certainly!

Henrietta: This head of ours is very practical, too. It can pin down a sting ray to the ocean floor.

Henry: Sting ray!? Where? Where?

Henrietta: Nowhere darling. I was just describing how we eat our favorite food.

Henry: Oh. Pity.

Zoey: I wouldn’t say that too loud around our manta ray, Mandy. She might not like you eating one of her relatives.

Henrietta: Yes, they keep Mandy and her delicious cousins in a separate tank.

Zeek: I can see why.

Henrietta: Well, if I can’t have a ray, I’d love a nice, fresh blacktip reef shark! I’m tired of eating nothing but teeny, tiny crustaceans.

Zeek: Hey! No eating the other contestants!

Zoey: Speaking of which…as you might have heard, we’re letting the attendees of our fair zoo vote for their favorite shark. Could you please show us a talent of yours?

Henrietta: Surely.

Henry: Perhaps we could eat for you.

Zeek: [shudders] No more eating, thanks.

Henrietta: We shall sing for you. Gather around girls. We’ll give you a song in seven-part harmony!

Zoey: That will be lovely. I can’t wait.

Zeek: Let’s hear it!

Henrietta and the hammerheads: Hum hum hum hum…
[Singing]
If I had a hammer
I’d hammer in the morning,
I’d hammer in the evening
All over this land…

Zeek: I should have guessed that was coming…