So, this is what you'll find lurking in the Kingdom of the Night. This creature notched up our zoo a gazillion points. I'm sure I'm getting the wording all wrong and everything, but it's not like I can read the info...it's dark. This here is an albino alligator. Very rare. Very hungry. And secluded from the 50 other alligator in the same exhibit...the swamp. Why we need a suspended wobbly plank bridge to walk over for effect, I dunno. I think the dark and the hissing gators are enough. Don't you?
The life of the tall is very distinct and there's a unique familiarity to it that you forget about until moments like these.
The other day, I took the kids to the zoo. Because it's summer and we're bonafide season members of the zoo. We met a fun friend of ours, and her two kids as well. One of my all time least favorite places, but probably one of the best exhibits is the Kingdom of the Night. It's underneath the Desert Dome. I don't go in the Desert Dome because I lived in the Desert Dome - it's called Amarillo, y'all. But the Kingdom of the Night is not on my priority list because A) it's in the frikkin basement of a building; 2) it's one way only and one exit only - helloooooo safety hazard; and C) it's all animals that go bump and buzz and bite at night - the nocturnals. Quite frankly, I don't really care to know what's in the depths of the ocean, nor what's creeping around at night.
The kids have become aware of this and think its super paybacks to want to go to the Kingdom of the Night because they know that mommy doesn't like it, but that they can go anywhere they want at the zoo. Fine. Bring it on.
So, we get down to the basement, and it's dark, uh, because it's the Kingdom of the Night and all. And my pal and I are talking about our feelings, I'm sure, while the kids play with the interactive exhibits of what it's like to be a nocturnal animal. I see a shadow of this tall guy walk by. Then I see him walk by Lucy and in a split second, I see her notice the tall guy's presence and grab his hand and know exactly what's going on. Before the guy can be freaked out, I simply announce,
"Uh, Lucy - that's not your Dad." Because we didn't come here with Ricardo, he's at work. Duh. Lucy looks up, sees I am correct, and then walks over to me a bit bashfully. Shakes it off before she gets to me and goes back to playing in the dark.
The poor guy was just as confused as Lucy was because he said he had a daughter here at the zoo who didn't want to go to the Kingdom of the Night. So, she and his wife stayed upstairs waiting for he and his son to go through on their own. So, he figured his daughter changed her mind and found him. This is all awkward and yet, we're all safe and so it's funny.
"Well, sorry about that. My husband is tall like you. What are you about 6'10"?"
"I'm 7'1"."
WOW. That's a whole other level of tall. But to a 7 year-old, I suppose it's all the same.
That's how I roll.
Song of the day: Pump It Up by Elvis Costello
The whole one way in one way out thing - I can see me down there gasping for air, sweating profusely - and I would probably grab the hand of the first tall man that walked by (well, more likely cling to him for dear life) and call him Daddy because after 5 minutes down there I will have lost my mind. Or the man could be short. Or he doesn't have to be a man. A nice lady will be fine too. :0)