The Zoo and Other Animal Stories
it’s rainy and cold right now, and my host mom and alej, her son, just brought me some bread and coffee. just delightful. earlier today for my out-on-the-town excursion with my new, prettier teacher, i rode the microbus to the local zoo. my maestra and i got off at the temple, templo de minerva. why do they have a temple in name of minerva, you ask? no se. your guess is as good as mine-or any local’s, for that matter. from the templo, heidi (my maestra) and i continued on to the gates of the zoo.
the zoo is very much unlike anything i have ever seen in the states, charging no admission fee at the gate, and having no apparent sort of organization whatsoever. there are paths, yes, but as far as i can discern, only because the grass has been trod upon so much in certain important byways that paths have grown in time rather than have been built once upon a time. outside most exhibits is a fairly generic-looking sign with the name of the animal within, and in most cases, a very generic and pixilated representation of, say, a mammal, if said animal behind the sign is indeed a mammal, or a bird if it’s a bird. the exhibits themselves are not so much exhibits as much as immense, chain-link-fence cages whose stalls are divided up using like chain-link fencing between the different animals. for example, the eagles and the hamsters (really). well, ok, the hamsters are in a different immense chain-link-fence cage than the eagles, right there next to the pigeons, and down a little way from the raccoons.
if it should happen that the zoo part of the zoo isn’t quite your thing, (and with the plenteous diverse animals, how could it not be?) if you’d like, and assuming you’re either a child or a very small adult, you can entertain yourself on the various carnival rides (assuming also that there’s anyone to operate them) which make up a full half of the zoo’s grounds. mini-rollercoaster? they’ve got two. bumper cars? of course. if only they were in operation.
***
after enjoying a mighty fine meal of the usual tortillas (though this particular batch was hand-made by my ‘grandma’), a meat-loafy type meat substance with rice and some refried beans, a slice of dominos pizza, and a cup of coffee, i enjoyed a cigarette with another cup of coffee. the cigarettes are payasos, a nicaraguan brand and the result of my ‘grandpa,’ who smokes them and suggested i try a pack. they aren’t particularly good, on about the same level as pall malls, but they’re foreign and the box is unique-looking, so what the hell?
while i was away from my room sucking down my coffee and cigarette, the family dog was no doubt happily peeing on my floor. happy because neither he nor the cat are allowed in rooms, and because he was relieving himself. the fact that both were happening at the same time probably made the moment an altogether joyous affair. upon returning to my room, i noticed the puddle (quite big for such a small dog) and went to ask for paper towels. it should be noted that the dog, whose name is pelucha (fur), looks like a mop. he is a paris hilton kick-me dog but has matty hair, is mostly dirty and most decidedly has things i’d rather not think about growing about his entire body. because of these characteristics, i have named him el trapeador-the mop. which is interesting because instead of fetching me paper towels for the yellow puddle el trapeador left me, my ‘dad’ got me a mop. un trapeador por el trapeador. i’ve promised to myself and my family that i would keep my door closed whenever i leave my room from now on.
the zoo is very much unlike anything i have ever seen in the states, charging no admission fee at the gate, and having no apparent sort of organization whatsoever. there are paths, yes, but as far as i can discern, only because the grass has been trod upon so much in certain important byways that paths have grown in time rather than have been built once upon a time. outside most exhibits is a fairly generic-looking sign with the name of the animal within, and in most cases, a very generic and pixilated representation of, say, a mammal, if said animal behind the sign is indeed a mammal, or a bird if it’s a bird. the exhibits themselves are not so much exhibits as much as immense, chain-link-fence cages whose stalls are divided up using like chain-link fencing between the different animals. for example, the eagles and the hamsters (really). well, ok, the hamsters are in a different immense chain-link-fence cage than the eagles, right there next to the pigeons, and down a little way from the raccoons.
if it should happen that the zoo part of the zoo isn’t quite your thing, (and with the plenteous diverse animals, how could it not be?) if you’d like, and assuming you’re either a child or a very small adult, you can entertain yourself on the various carnival rides (assuming also that there’s anyone to operate them) which make up a full half of the zoo’s grounds. mini-rollercoaster? they’ve got two. bumper cars? of course. if only they were in operation.
***
after enjoying a mighty fine meal of the usual tortillas (though this particular batch was hand-made by my ‘grandma’), a meat-loafy type meat substance with rice and some refried beans, a slice of dominos pizza, and a cup of coffee, i enjoyed a cigarette with another cup of coffee. the cigarettes are payasos, a nicaraguan brand and the result of my ‘grandpa,’ who smokes them and suggested i try a pack. they aren’t particularly good, on about the same level as pall malls, but they’re foreign and the box is unique-looking, so what the hell?
while i was away from my room sucking down my coffee and cigarette, the family dog was no doubt happily peeing on my floor. happy because neither he nor the cat are allowed in rooms, and because he was relieving himself. the fact that both were happening at the same time probably made the moment an altogether joyous affair. upon returning to my room, i noticed the puddle (quite big for such a small dog) and went to ask for paper towels. it should be noted that the dog, whose name is pelucha (fur), looks like a mop. he is a paris hilton kick-me dog but has matty hair, is mostly dirty and most decidedly has things i’d rather not think about growing about his entire body. because of these characteristics, i have named him el trapeador-the mop. which is interesting because instead of fetching me paper towels for the yellow puddle el trapeador left me, my ‘dad’ got me a mop. un trapeador por el trapeador. i’ve promised to myself and my family that i would keep my door closed whenever i leave my room from now on.