Ever since I was 2 years old I had a love of animals. My family didn't have a pet at the time but that didn't stop me from touching any animal that I waddled up too, or reading about animals in books with words that I did not quite understand always, but that made me happy nonetheless. With all of these wonderful things in mind and the fact that I loved animals so much you would assume that my family and I would have a wonderful first visit to the zoo. You however dear reader are mistaken.
My first visit to the Philadelphia zoo occurred when I was 6 years old, but my love for animals then was as strong as it was when I was too and as strong as it is now. My family and I walked into the gates looking at all the things in the order that is now our tradition. Monkeys, small mammals, big cats, gibbons, etc. However, while all of the animals at the zoo interested me there was one that I was very excited to see, the cheetah. I am not sure why to this day I was so interested in the cheetah but it was my obsession with this animal that made the day miserable.
At around lunchtime, I was sitting eating some chicken fingers waiting to see the cheetahs when my adolescent brain made the sudden realization, "I am not going to live forever. I am already 6! What if I die! I will never get to see a cheetah!." With that startling realization in my head, I ran away as fast as I could to go find the cheetahs without telling my parents. And of course, I was having the time of my life looking at all the wonderful animals trying to find the cheetahs while my parents were experiencing one of the first heart attacks I would give them in their lives. And while I don't remember exactly how long it took my parents are adamant that they found me after three hours of searching, directly in front of the cheetah exhibit. To this day my family and I still love going to the zoo. I just try to stay a bit closer nowadays.
I also had a curious fascination of animals when I was a kid. I remember my first visit to the zoo very fondly. I was astounded by the variety of the animals there, and for the next few months all I wanted to do was go back.
ReplyDeleteThe attention span of a young child has proven to be the bane of parent's existences everywhere, however, I do believe that what we choose to give little attention to as young children will develop into passions as more mature people. I'm glad you have developed such a passion, Scott.
ReplyDeleteI've also had a fascination of animals from a young age, but its stuck out with me ever since then. Still one of my favorite things to do!
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