A Day at the Zoo

A Day at the Zoo

Albert was not happy. He’d gotten stuck with Kenny at the last minute because there was nobody else available. He didn’t know a thing about taking care of a four-year-old, had literally never been alone with him in the child’s life! Yet here he was.

His mother had given him sketchy instructions, rushing off to her parent’s house because her mother had a fall. “Watch him closely, feed him, keep him busy. He probably won’t take a nap, you can try. I’ll call you.”

So, to “keep him busy” he brought him to the zoo.

“What kind of animal is that?” Kenny asked, pointing.

“That’s a zebra,” Albert said.

“Oh,” Kenny said, looking but asking no other questions.

“What’s that?” he asked, this time a monkey.

“That’s a monkey,” Albert said, then “monkeys are very playful, like children they love to play.”

This time Kenny smiled, but still no questions.

Next came a mule. “What’s that?” came from Kenny.

“That’s a mule...” Grampa started, but before he could elaborate, Kenny started talking.

“Is he in your family Grampa?”

“I don’t think so... why do you ask?”

“Well, Mom always says you’re as stubborn as an old mule so I thought maybe it was this one.”

Albert stopped in his tracks and stared at the boy, then burst out laughing! When he’d gotten a grip, he said, “No, this one’s not related to me. What else do your Mom and Dad talk about?”

Kenny’s grandmother, on the other side, was fine, a small sprain. Kenny had a delightful day with Grampa. Grampa woke up to all he’d been missing by being a stubborn old mule, plus a lot of other things, because apparently four-year-old’s hear a lot they don’t understand, but they can repeat to anybody willing to listen...