An Elementary Trip To The Zoo

Somewhere on a rural cosmopolitan island, nervous sweat emerged from Buddy’s forehead as the elementary grade school curious George monitored the concrete as the mass transportation left the city jungle.

“Do you have permission to go on this education excursion?” Requested a giant voice, hovering above the youngster.

Reaching into the knapsack, Buddy retrieved the official letterhead sheet with his parent’s signature, “what happened if I did not have the exact form?” Buddy questioned.

“We would leave you roadside, forcing you to fend for yourself in life’s wilderness reality,” the class trip chaperon stated.

“Glad I had the right papers,” Buddy returned to his observation duty.

A few minutes past and bored Buddy tried starting an interaction exercise, “Mitzi, what?”

“I am busy Buddy, doing my homework I was supposed to do last evening,” Mitzi responded. “Why didn’t you do your homework?” Buddy continued investigating.

“If you need to know I was on the phone all night with Michelle,” Buddy’s fellow student sincerely confessed, allowing everything to turn silent.

After a short distance, the scholastic entourage travelled through the gates, entering the adventurous zoo world. Safely halted, all the passengers were released and ventured into unknown exploration.

“You are all on your own,” the chaperone announced, “go out, fend for yourself and return by three, hopefully you learned something new.”

Following one gasping scream, all the children disappeared, and the chaperone pulled out a coffee mug, declaring a break. As Buddy hustled, navigating companion peers, the new patron handed over the ticket obtained during the document exchange transaction.

Sticking hands, in his pockets, Buddy looked around and saw an interesting exhibit, “Communication Creatures” the zoological style letters spelled out. Slowly approaching glass doors, the fifth grade growing fingers reached up, only for the entry barricade to open automatically.

“Wow,” Buddy gushed, proceeding slowly, confronting dark hallways decorated with information based on factual research. Due to the lengthy reading time, stopping was not possible and Buddy ignored the debatable assignment, walking down the corridor until witnessing, a yelling figure scream.

“What do you mean? I am a doctor, Dr. Shoeman Emory and I do not do a little, I do a lot,” an elderly man screamed into a cell phone, “ And more importantly, I do not put my shoe horn in my mouth,” Dr. Emory paused, “maybe I do, and you know what we have nice conversations.”

Feeling a chilling fear run through his body, Buddy’s eyes grew wider, “Sir, is everything okay?”

“My work is not respected, around here,” the white jacket wiseman exclaimed, “what are you doing? Tress Passing!!” The exhibit doesn’t open until next week when the politicians visit.”

“No,” Buddy confirmed shaken after he realized he created a stir, “the door just magically opened,” Buddy told a half-truth explanation.

“You pulled the door?”

“Yeah,” Buddy explained the scientific side.

“Since you are the future generation may I ask you to do me a favor?” The good veteran doctor offered, “take this audio equipment, go over to that window, plug the wire into the socket, and have a dialogue with the panda bear.”

“Panda bears don’t talk,” Buddy laughed.

“They do too, they speak a language called panda bear,”

“How will I understand what the panda bear is saying?”

“That is the best part,” Dr. Emory continued, “I put a controlled experimental spell on these electronic gizmos, and they will translate panda into English, if you wear them.”

“Really,” Buddy accepted the device and strolled over, noticing the panda bear, securing the properly marked place. Putting them over his shell shaped hearing organ, Buddy quickly was amazed when the panda bear did the same thing.

“What is your name?” Buddy greeted using a sensitive tone.

“Diplomacy,” the Panda Bear answered, “and it is not dip for short. May I ask? What is your name?”

“Buddy,”

“And now you are my good Buddy,” Diplomacy grinned.

“I go to school all day,” Buddy mentioned, “what do you do?”

“Eat bamboo,” Diplomacy honestly replied.

“Doesn’t that make you fat?” Buddy wanted clarification.

“Stuffed with love my good buddy,” Diplomacy confirmed, “my turn, do you know why it is important to have different languages?”

Shrugging shoulders, Diplomacy illuminated the academic spotlight and lectured, “well good Buddy, some of us need a secret way to communicate to those who really are truly close to us, and unlike English which everyone knows, the Panda language is only understood by Panda Bears, and we can trade secrets without strangers donating their two cents.”

“That is not very nice Diplomacy,” Buddy commentated.

“It is how, we keep our way of life and cultures going,” Diplomacy stated nicely.

Reflecting a moment, upon the teaching, Buddy changed his mind and defined the whole theory, “cool”.

“I’ve got to go,” Buddy stated.

“Okay,” Diplomacy agreed, “ten four good Buddy.”

Stepping away Buddy returned the magical invention, “I was able to understand Diplomacy when he was talking his own language, Panda Bear.”

“That is great,” Dr. Emory clapped his hands, “you know those huge earpieces are UNESCO approved.”

“UNESCO?”

“Oh, yeah the United Nations intellectual getaway is for the older kids.”

With the hour getting late, Buddy checked-in to go home and arriving promptly, he respectively waited then climbed up the metal stairs.

“Did you learn something?” The chaperone interrupted.

“The importance to having your own language as a secret,” Buddy reported.

“We have the greatest language of them all,” the chaperone retorted, “English.”

“Yeah, that maybe a valid point but everyone knows what we are gossiping about.”

Finding his seat, Buddy pulled out a piece of paper and started writing, “Know what we did Buddy?” Mitzi popped over the headrest.

“Mitzi I am busy doing my homework,” Buddy alerted.

“Didn’t you write the assignment like everyone else? Eating lunch.”

“No,” Buddy explained, “I spent the whole day talking with Diplomacy the Panda Bear.”