We're Going to the Zoo

Posted on Sat 22nd Sep, 2018 @ 10:10pm by

639 words; about a 3 minute read

Mission: Oblivion
Location: Deck 1553, San Diego Wildlife Preservation Zone
Timeline: MD 16, 1030

"Mama's takin' me to the zoo t'day, zoo t'day, zoo t'day! Mama's takin' me to the zoo t'day and I can stay all day!" Terminus sang as he skipped along beside Flavia. It was an old song, but Flavia's family often studied times past and all the children had picked up the ditty and loved it.

Turning to look way up at her, he stopped and tugged on her hand. "We can stay all day, right? Right? We can stay all day?"

"I think we might!" Flavia laughed. "If you're still interested that long. We don't leave until you say you're finished." She knew that might be a promise she'd regret. Terminus seemed to have no terminus on his interest in animals. If they saw every single one, he might simply want to start over at the beginning. Nevertheless, it was a nice day - when wasn't it in Tivoli Gardens? The walk from the central station to the zoo, as it was called colloquially, wasn't long, and they had the time.

Flavia rarely took a day off, either from the store or from the whole family, but Terminus was soon to turn three. He deserved a day of her time all to himself, and doing what he wanted. Marcus had the store, and the children were all busy with activities or homework. This was his day. "What shall we see first?" she asked him.

Terminus started skipping along again, but his mother, even at only five feet tall, a little over one and a half meters, had no trouble keeping up with his short little legs. "Let me fink about it," he told her, sounding very much like his father, and bringing a smile to Flavia's face.

"My favorites are the giraffes," she told him.

"The ones who spray water?" he asked.

"No, those are elephants. Giraffes have the really long necks, biting high up into the trees for dinner."

"Yeah! And the big spots that aren't circos! Let's start wif giraffes!" the boy said enthusiastically.

As they neared the entrance, Terminus saw a play-group friend and waved wildly. "Bella! Bella! We're going to the zoo!"

Arabella McCabe, who was 4, waved back primly. "So are we," she said, glancing up at her father and aunt. "We're going to see the ... the ... what did you call them, Daddy?"

"Bajoran Krutu," Anthony said. To Flavia, he added, "They have recently imported a new batch of them. They're rodents, really, but quite cute. Unfortunately, no one had figured out that the Red Pandas from earth would find them delectable, so the first ones didn't last long. I understand these have a safe environment, and children can actually play with them, as these are hand raised by the Bajorans."

Flavia's brows went up. "You've come to the zoo to see rats?" she asked. "I could show you places not 3 decks from here where you can see plenty of them."

Janetta laughed. "That's what I told him, but he thinks these are different because they're from Bajor."

"They are different, you'll see!" McCabe protested. Bella put her hand in her dad's and said, "That's alright, Daddy. I want to see them."

They all came to the turnstiles which counted entrants, though there was no entrance fee. Donations could be made at kiosks throughout the preserve, near the animals that interested visitors wanted to sponsor.

Terminus shouted back at Bella as he and his mother entered, "We're seeing giraffes that eat the tops of trees!"

McCabe smiled and called out, "Maybe we'll see you somewhere inside later."

Once again, the boy skipped happily beside his mother. The zoo wasn't crowded once they were inside, because it was so vast. "Hangin' by their long tails and snatch, snatch snatching all day," the boy sang, out of tune and slightly different words.

 

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