I am sitting outside the chimpanzee enclosure at the Sacramento Zoo waiting to do an interview. The younger ones seem to feel the world revolves around them. True for the humans too, but the old guy: He knows what life is all about. As I wait to interview him, I am told to stand back and give him a moment.
Then I am ushered in. There is a bit of tension. The old man that I am to interview…told me to take this next photo but I should not mention that he is an old man…
He looks over at me. “So, did I win the pretty feet contest for 2014?”
I tell him that he won second place. He grins and he says, “Maybe because I gave the finger?”
A smile spreads across his face. He tells me, “I’ll be good for a photo if you want to take it…No giving the finger!”
“What advice would you give to the younger generation?” I ask him.
“Be nice to others. When you do, you will be rewarded,” he says.
“Hang on just a sec, and thanks for the nuts! They look so good, I just have to have a bite,” he says.
“Now I think you are supposed to talk to one of the younger ones. Hey, Clyde! Yeah, you! Clyde! Talk to this woman!”
Clyde looks over at me.
He grumbles a bit and asks, “So, you wanna talk to me?” And he poses…
“Now I heard rumor Clyde, that there is a young gal here who is interested in you. What do you have to say to that?” I ask.
“Are you kidding me? She likes me?” he responds.
“That’s the word on the street,” I respond.
“You know, my Mama, and this is something maybe a Mama would only say, tells me that I am a good catch! She really likes me?”
“That’s the word on the street!”
He looks over at his buddy and whispers, “She likes me! How about that?”
Then he humbly tells me that he really is a nice guy! His mother is to blame he says. He also says that there are not many around who are as nice as he is. Then a huge smile spreads across his face and he says, “Wow! I am really digging this! What could be better? I feel really happy right now! Mama always told me that I have a face to be loved!” He looks at me with a silly grin on his face, finger pointing…And he says, “Isn’t this a face to be loved?”
My interview, I am told, is at an end. I get escorted out. The interviewees, well, they are in a huddle having one heck of a major conversation! One without me!
I hope that you have enjoyed this interview! I do feel lucky that I was given the opportunity! The interview: This took place at the Sacramento Zoo. Since doing this interview, I have heard that these chimpanzees are waiting with bated breath to see this post…
To the boys I interviewed: You were great! I fell in love with each of you! I hope that we can get together again!
Rumor has it they want to get together again soon. I heard that the old man and Clyde are looking forward to it! I was told that maybe I should wear something pink…What? Wear something pink?
MH17 – From Our Dutch Relatives
Posted in Commentary, tagged Blog, Blogging, Commentary, Life, MH17, News, People, Personal, Philosophy, World on July 25, 2014| 7 Comments »
In the words of our Dutch relatives regarding MH17:
“Can you imagine a whole country mourning? Yes of course you can, we came in October 2001, just weeks after 9/11, to visit and saw a whole country in shock.
Today the first 40 victims arrived by plane and were transported the last 60 miles in a convoy of 40 hearses. This was shown live on television and a lot of people gathered on the route. Very impressive and emotional, one of the victims is a women of nearly 50 years who was a member of our fraternity/sorority (we were mixed, boys and girls). She was flying with her husband and son.
The whole day there were no commercial breaks on television (a first for the Netherlands I believe).
The Sad Final Journey Home – Mail Online News
One can only hope that the people who did this will see the mourning and understand the grief they caused.
No hate in the world is as strong as the love we have for each other…That is what the parents wrote whose children died.
So, love to you both!”
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To our Dutch Family: Love to you all!
Nothing can take the pain away from the families of all the victims. Nothing can replace those lives lost. Nothing can eliminate the shock and horror that people around the world felt on hearing the news of what happened to those on flight MH17.
We can only hope that those who committed this atrocity will be brought to justice and made to pay for this crime against all of us!
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