‘Ex-gorilla’ starts career as chiropractor

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The once-dancing gorilla who twirled a sign on the sidewalk along West William Street in front of Domino’s Pizza doesn’t monkey around when it comes to being a chiropractor.

Dr. Cody Morrison, of Leaf Chiropractic & Wellness Center, was a typical college student at Ohio Wesleyan University, trying to make ends meet and working whatever odd job he could find at the time.

“In my senior year I needed a little extra cash the second half,” said Morrison. “I was looking through Craigslist and at the different job posting sites when I saw Domino’s here in Delaware was hiring.”

Morrison said he didn’t know what Domino’s was hiring for but it was close to campus. “I went for the interview and the guy showed me a sign,” Morrison said.

Standing out front of the store in a Domino’s outfit spinning a sign didn’t seem to be the worst of jobs to Morrison. “I’ve had worst jobs,” he said.

Morrison told the manager, “Yeah, I can do that.”

Morrison was surprised by what happened next. “He proceeded to pull out a gorilla costume and ask, ‘Could you do the job as a gorilla?’”

“I thought, sure, I can give that shot,” he said.

Morrison and his girlfriend, Katlin Zimmerly, are both 2011 Ohio Wesleyan graduates and said they are re-transplants to Delaware. “We had no idea this is where we would end up, but we are happy to be back,” Zimmerly said.

Zimmerly was surprised that Morrison took the job as a dancing gorilla. “He isn’t much of a dancer and I was shocked that he would do that,” Zimmerly said about Morrison as a dancing gorilla. “But he did a really good job.”

Morrison said, “I did develop a gorilla strut out there on the corner.”

Morrison and Zimmerly both ran cross-country and track at Ohio Wesleyan. “We became really good friends,” Zimmerly said.

Since Morrison had to work as a dancing gorilla in the afternoons, it kept him from practicing with the team. After a couple of hours in the hot costume, he would run on his own.

“He was pretty dedicated because he would have to forgo practice and be a gorilla for a few hours and then run on his own.” Zimmerly said. “It was kind of hard to do. It took a lot out of him just to do it.”

However, the team made him feel like he was part of the practices. “The only way you could tell it was him was by his running shoes,” Zimmerly said. “The team would run by and make fun of him in a good way.”

All through college, Morrison and Zimmerly remained good friends. At graduation, they said their goodbyes but stayed in touch.

Zimmerly went to nursing school and Morrison went to Life University in Georgia to become a chiropractor. “I knew I wanted to do that in college,” Morrison said.

Over time, Zimmerly knew there was more to their friendship.

Skype played a large part in their romance while Morrison was in Georgia. “We did a lot of Skyping for three years,” Zimmerly said.

Zimmerly works as nurse at Mount Carmel West in Columbus. “I was already settled here and he knew he was going to have to come back.”

Morrison graduated from Life University with his doctor of chiropractic degree late last year and is now working with Leaf Chiropractic.

There were no second thoughts when it came to moving back. “Going to school here we both fell in love with the town,” Morrison said. “We just love the feel and vibe of the town.”

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Morrison worked here at Domino’s

By D. Anthony Botkin

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D. Anthony Botkin may be reached at 740-413-0902 or on Twitter @dabotkin.

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