Happy V'Day - Love Birds

A zoo is a place for animals. That's what I always thought until my visit to a small zoo (name omitted for obvious reasons). I had to kill time and was excite at the prospect of visiting a zoo in 20 years; last I visited a zoo was when I was 10.

I asked the hotel to pack sandwiches (did I mention they charged me a bomb) and off I went. After haggling a bit with the auto driver for the fare (it always helps), I set out. It was a bright sunny day; perfect for a zoo visit. I was dropped just beside the gate which proudly announced the ZOO. I stepped in and was greeted by concrete monkeys jeering at me; I learn later why they were jeering. I ignored them and bought my ticket and declared the stuff I had in the bag and deposited the plastic bags with them.

The beautiful flamingos greeted me as I steeped in, then the goose and then the pheasant and many more caged birds. Did I mention a languor even tried to rough me when he felt I had something in my pocket and was saving it for some other animal - that made me cautious and I dared not take my hands out post that incident.

The Zoo announced to have 55 odd animals (not too big a zoo, I thought) and during my 3 hrs stay there, I spotted at least 65 odd canoodling couples. Most looked hungry and starved; I bumped into them on every turn and every good shady spot. They would stop whatever they were doing when I would approach and start again when I passed them. I wanted one to click me in the zoo and I offered my camera, the bloke was taken aback and asked do I want to click them (duffer the camera is in your hand). I politely said 'no, please click me' (he did a really bad job with the pic).


I didn't know the zoo attracted so many love birds. Maybe the place gave them a perfect place to meet, amid grunts of rhino, growl of the lion, chirping of the birds and the shades of the trees. They not only distracted me but the animals too; I could see two monkey expressing their disgust. Plus some kept the zoo keeper busy to remind them to behave.

I felt I should leave the love birds and the animals alone. I found a quite spot under the shady tree, had my sandwich and napped. After my fill of sleep I walked out a disappointed man and again I was met up by the concrete monkeys. Now I know why they were jeering.

Happy V'Day.

P.S: Zoo is not too bad a place to spend time with ones beloved though.