funny thing about going for a healthy stroll in a zoo is that one is able to see most anything; a lion, a tiger, bear, or the cute penguin show they put on for the yung un's way back there in the corner; tucked away safely; hidden away so's as their screams of joy couldn't possibly be heard by the lover's loving the view on their first date. views are apt to change every ten feet or so and judging from the day of week, month of the year, or even the season; the local flavor that comes out to view the animals tends to change with each flowing week. take, for instance, that one summer when all of the summer camps were apparently invited to view the latest addition to cub family - most definitely a time when, if I had had advanced notice i would have rather ridden a porcupine from here to idaho rather than have been at the zoo; children lined up with matching t-shirts, some blue, some pink, other one's; purple. Noisy little bastards I thought; most definitely those kinda kids that come along with a first of the month check and no table manners. Hmmph, I thought. Had I only known. I pull my little one closer in to me as I hear one of those "other" children mangle the English language in a way that I couldn't quite make out. My own child tugs at my pant leg, lets out a bevvy of cries screaming, I want ice cream, I want ice cream!! It was then that I thought I had told him no in the most politest way I could muster. Other parents were beginning to stare as I tried to hide my utter embarrassment. "No," I told him for about the fiftieth time as I looked over at those other kids who by now were starting to point and laugh at my little precious baby saber-toothed tiger. "Rather have a monster than a retard," I thought to myself at which point I raised my head and saw my reflection in the souvenier store glass front.
Funny, the things you realize at the zoo.

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