monkey madness

editor's note: I don't think I have mentioned Monkey Village so far on this particular blog, so let me explain real quick. It is one of 3 exhibits like it in the world, and the only one in North America, where zoo visitors can actually enter and share the same space with our troop of squirrel monkeys. There is a pathway through the exhibit, with a low rope as a human barrier, but no barriers for the monkeys. The visitors are not allowed to bring in food or drinks, (except water) and there is no touching of the monkeys either. The exhibit is always staffed with employees and volunteers to assist people and maintain the safety of the people and animals. They don't jump on people, or rummage through their pockets. Mainly they just keep to their monkey business, but with the addition of 5 juveniles, and 5 new babies, things have gotten interesting lately! They keep us all on our toes...

It is amazing what kinds of crazies the full moon brings out. Every month, you can count on at least one weird person that just leaves you speechless. The other day at Monkey Village, the wierdos came out of the woodwork. And I'm not talking about squirrel monkeys. Now I am not one to judge or poke fun at anyone, but these stories were too funny not to mention:

There were a couple people that were high on something, and it sure wasn't life. They were reaching out towards the monkeys, that were actually about 10 feet away. I don't even want to know what experiencing the exhibit would be like in an altered reality...

There was also a crazy lady with her pants rolled up (in one big cuff, from her ankle to her knee...) who was quite a character. She ran through the exhibit screaming "OH!!! They are PRECIOUS!!!! so precious!!!" clapping and screaming her head off. I wasn't there to see it, but I saw her, and can only imagine. A co-worker shared this story with me, but I was in fact priveliged to see her, and can only imagine what I would have said to her. I am glad I wasn't there. She was telling him how she has one of those monkeys at home. It bit her on the nose once, so she had all its teeth removed, and that she shaves it.

Oh. My. So another staff member says how they are illegal to own without special permits, (not that she was telling the truth, but I pray to God that it was not in fact true). The lady got into an argument with her about how it is not illegal, and she got it from the humane society for $500, and how she has had it for 20 years, and never had no damn permit. They then politely mentioned that she was in violation of the law. LOL... Like I said, I don't know what I would have said. Later in the day, my boss saw her at the Orangutan exhibit, where she apparantly "found" a cookie in her pant leg that she must have dropped earlier. She was screaming at her grandson(?) to come and get it for her, since she herself could not bend over. yeah, I missed that one too... lucky me! LOL.

THEN, this kid was standing under one of the ropes that the monkeys climb across, whic goes right over people's heads, and I explained that you never really want to stand directly underneath them (especially with your mouth open). Sea World has their splash zone... we have ours. That is definitely NOT raindrops falling on your head. So he ignored my warning, and ran after them yelling "pee on me! pee on me!!!" I said, "you don't want to get peed on!" to which he replied, "why not!? My uncle pees on my dad!"

Oh it was an interesting day for sure.

Comments

[Africableu]

Are you sure these nuts aren't from Oklahoma? 'Cause they sound like they could be my neighbors.

Don't you wish you could read the animals' minds, sometimes -- they MUST be thinking, "And they put ME in a cage..."

[E]

Whoa.