Wednesday, August 20, 2014

The Lincoln Park Zoo

The most fabulous picture I ever took of Big Cuter and The Bride happened there.
They were smiling and looking wide eyed because a pigeon had just pooped into Seret's long, luscious, curly, tangle of hair and I was taking pictures instead of helping her clean it out.
 
Thirty years later, all on my own, I could find the restrooms
still behind the sundial, inside, and down the stairs,
and I could watch the pretty pink birds for as long as I wanted
without having to explain why they have orange feathers
or why I insist that they are pink.
 
I can watch the camels recline 
and admire their grace as they lower themselves, slowly and carefully placing first one hump and then the other on the ground, in the shade
or in a pool of water, clear enough to reflect the sunlight 
and there was no reason to move on until I wanted to see something else.
 
Like the apes' indoor/outdoor habitat.
The indoor part is the white building on the right.
I like the swings and the netting and the greenery outside.
They are magnificent creatures, 
alarmingly like ourselves.
I moved on, unwilling to think deep thoughts.
 
I found a bench next to Hans Christian Andersen
opened a novel, and watched families and lovers and animals on leashes.
 
It was a beautiful afternoon.
 
 
 
 

2 comments:

  1. Is the bench still there? I found myself waiting to hear if it was. ;) Looks like a beautiful day too in Chicago. Hope you had fun on your outing.


    Megan xxx

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    1. That bench was in the general vicinity of the one I sat upon. All the "lawn furniture" is new.... don't think a 30 year old wooden bench would be as splinter free as my old body requires these days :)
      a/b

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