Ewwww....Zoo...

Baseball, hot dogs and the zoo? I prefer football, I'm ok with hot dogs but the zoo? I took Carrie to the zoo. She was feeling better and said she wanted to go so away we went. The GPS was attached to the windshield of my car, the extra bag was packed with a change of clothes for Carrie and she was holding her Nintendo DS for entertainment during the ride to Baton Rouge.

The GPS directed me through Baton Rouge by neglecting to use I-10 and over the Huey P. Long bridge. As I crossed this bridge, I had visions of the bridge in Minnesota that fell apart so I stuck my foot through the accelerator and chased my fear to the end of it. I followed the verbal turn by turns from the GPS and eventually we noted signs directing us to the zoo.

Sometime later I realized I really don't like visiting the zoo. Caged buffalo, elk and moose and all I could think about was the times I would be hiking in the mountains of Wyoming and see these creatures in their natural habitat. I would stand quietly to watch them not wanting to interrupt them by being there. Alright, there were no panthers, macaws or zebras to see in those mountains but seeing these animals penned up and standing around looking bored reminds me of those last few minutes on the job when everyone is watching the clock and counting down the seconds to clock out . I'm as bored as they look. I go because Carrie is small and young and impressionable and she enjoys seeing the animals.

I'm always happy when we head for the exit. I'm done. I'm full. I'm good for the next 10 years but I know I will return again before then. I'll take Carrie again and again until she grows older and she starts to skitter away from invitations to visit the zoo.

I looked around at all the parents and wondered how many of them were actually enthused about seeing the caged animals. Were they doing this for their children only?

Maybe I would feel different about a circus? Maybe it's just that the pace of the zoo is too slow for my hyperactive self. Maybe the reason I've rarely visited zoos all my life was because it just wasn't something I cared to do.