Zoos

Dear Stephanie,

My favorite part of a zoo is the reptile house, the part where they keep the nocturnal animals.  There are often mammals and birds and amphibians here as well, but it’s almost always in the reptile house. I love that you never know what’s going to be in those cages, even when they are labeled. 

The best part is looking into the cages, all full of anticipation and trepidation. I’m always terrified that some grotesque hairless mammal or many-legged amphibian will burst from its hiding place to smash up against the glass like the alien from Independence Day. Of course this never happens.

But the mystery of the nocturnal animals always draws me to that dim and deserted part of the zoo. The few people there speak in hushed tones and move slowly from display to display, murmuring to their companions and sometimes tentatively pointing to something at the back of a cage, always wondering how these creatures can live without the sun.

I can’t remember the last time I actually saw a nocturnal animal at the zoo, but I prefer it that way. The real thing can’t be better than the mystery.

Love, 

Gena