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Trouble at the zoo
Here's a good one: remember, I'm volunteering at a local junior zoo, and 14 years old.
Some explanation first:
I work with the snakes at a local junior zoo. It is volunteer work, i.e. i make no money, and, more importantly, cannot be "fired." My manager can tell me not to work there anymore, but the term "fired" is important. Snakes don't eat very often (once in about two weeks), and after they do, they need some downtime to digest it. I know, and it is the policy, not to take snakes out for two days after they've eaten. I have known this for a long time. I have just made a big show of feeding a snake, because it's actually pretty spectacular - we used pre-killed, frozen (thawed, of course) mice, and it is incredible to see the snake strike for it, unhinge it's jaws, and slowly take the mouse in.
Alright, enough explanation.
Me = Me
SC = SC, an around 40 year old lady.
H = SC's husband.
They and their son were watching the snake eat. after the show was over, and people were moving on to see other things, they stayed. I saw the son whisper something to the parents. The dad says, "No!" , but the mom then says, "We should let him!" The dad sighs.
They come up to me.
Me: Hello, are you interested in learning more about snakes?
SC: My son wants you to take the snake out, so he can see the mouse moving.
(after the snake eats, you can, in fact, see the mouse moving, but it takes at least a day, an hour to see a small change.)
Me, still smiling and being polite: I'm sorry, ma'am, I can't take the snake out after he eats. He needs time to digest the food. Besides, the movement is very slow, you wouldn't be able to see it anyway.
SC: My son wants to see it. Get the snake out now.
H: Honey, he can't-
SC: SHH! ***** wants to see the snake, and he will see the snake!
Me: I'm sorry, ma'am, I simply can't take him out.
SC: GET THE SNAKE OUT NOW OR I WILL HAVE YOU FIRED!
The child begins to cry, probably from the mother's screaming.
SC, with clenched teeth: Oh, now look what you've done. (what I'VE done?)
H: ****, we should-
SC: SHH!
Me: Uh, er, I, uh suggest you speak with the zoo manager if you want me fired.
SC: You bet I will!
As they walk off, she begins to rant about how kids these days should learn their place, while trying to comfort the child. But there was one more word spoken, and this one perhaps shocked me most of all.
As they walked away, the husband leaned in close to my ear, and said just one word,
"Women."
And they walk off. I fall apart in laughter, and so do a few other zoo attendees watching.
Later, I told my manager what had happened. I was not fired. I hope I will never see those three, or at least the woman, again.
Some explanation first:
I work with the snakes at a local junior zoo. It is volunteer work, i.e. i make no money, and, more importantly, cannot be "fired." My manager can tell me not to work there anymore, but the term "fired" is important. Snakes don't eat very often (once in about two weeks), and after they do, they need some downtime to digest it. I know, and it is the policy, not to take snakes out for two days after they've eaten. I have known this for a long time. I have just made a big show of feeding a snake, because it's actually pretty spectacular - we used pre-killed, frozen (thawed, of course) mice, and it is incredible to see the snake strike for it, unhinge it's jaws, and slowly take the mouse in.
Alright, enough explanation.
Me = Me
SC = SC, an around 40 year old lady.
H = SC's husband.
They and their son were watching the snake eat. after the show was over, and people were moving on to see other things, they stayed. I saw the son whisper something to the parents. The dad says, "No!" , but the mom then says, "We should let him!" The dad sighs.
They come up to me.
Me: Hello, are you interested in learning more about snakes?
SC: My son wants you to take the snake out, so he can see the mouse moving.
(after the snake eats, you can, in fact, see the mouse moving, but it takes at least a day, an hour to see a small change.)
Me, still smiling and being polite: I'm sorry, ma'am, I can't take the snake out after he eats. He needs time to digest the food. Besides, the movement is very slow, you wouldn't be able to see it anyway.
SC: My son wants to see it. Get the snake out now.
H: Honey, he can't-
SC: SHH! ***** wants to see the snake, and he will see the snake!
Me: I'm sorry, ma'am, I simply can't take him out.
SC: GET THE SNAKE OUT NOW OR I WILL HAVE YOU FIRED!
The child begins to cry, probably from the mother's screaming.
SC, with clenched teeth: Oh, now look what you've done. (what I'VE done?)
H: ****, we should-
SC: SHH!
Me: Uh, er, I, uh suggest you speak with the zoo manager if you want me fired.
SC: You bet I will!
As they walk off, she begins to rant about how kids these days should learn their place, while trying to comfort the child. But there was one more word spoken, and this one perhaps shocked me most of all.
As they walked away, the husband leaned in close to my ear, and said just one word,
"Women."
And they walk off. I fall apart in laughter, and so do a few other zoo attendees watching.
Later, I told my manager what had happened. I was not fired. I hope I will never see those three, or at least the woman, again.
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