A beach towel wrapped around a still scared and at least calmer little boy you walk with Tim as Andria holds the damp hand of her saved son. You and Tim decide that this is enough of the water related animals and look to visit the Africa's Savanna Plain exhibit.
The three grownups stand looking over a vast area of animals standing about milling together as they graze. Its obvious that these are not meat eaters and as grazing animals might not be so offensive one to the other.
Walking the brick pathway you smile looking down at hank as he sniff's the sour scent of Hippo which he is drenched yet from his swim. You take pictures as talking with Tim over the expanse of this exhibit.
As with Hank being foolish you turn out to be clumsey. A stub of the toe on a high set brick has your camera and the wealth of pictures tumbling from your hand and falling over the security fence. You peer over the edge seeing the camera worth several hundred dollars laying next to the chainlink fence but inside the restricted area.
Tim takes Andria off to the far side of the path and begins to take her mind and attention off you. He knows you plan to climb down and get the camera with those perfect pictures of hank being saved by a Hippo.
Halfway down to the camera you see a big black African Water Buffalo looking your way. It bellows out and begins to saunter toward you as one of the cows also begins to trot along.
The camera is scooped up but as you turn and prepare to climb back up to safety there comes the feeling of hot breath pouring over your shoulder. A slow turn and you are face to face, nose to muzzel with the black monster Buffalo.
The animal sniffs at you and know doubt knows your scared to death of it. A large pink tongue pokes out past black leathery lips giving you a slurp up the side of a sweating face.
Then the black Buffalo cow comes close and she too sniffs at your body . A soft press of her head to your stomach she makes not a move as if wishing to hug or hold you there for some wild reason.
The male Buffalo softly makes the female to pull back as it then steps to one side. You watch in utter facination as the massive animal toys with its left foreleg, then as if very intent on doing something you watch.
_____J-U-S-T-I-N-------M-A-R-G-E________ The big black beast wrote in the sand.
Stunned, you look first at the big black cow Buffalo as she shakes her head slowly up and down like in agreement with the bull's writings. A look into the beastly face of this moster animal weighing near a ton of pure muscle and big bones.
The Bull seems elated to be near you and one can not help but see and watch as its black sheath allows out a bright pink bovine shaped penis. Thrilled it is with this moment the common tones for a male animal it gets and erection.
"Simple minds show plain and simple reactions to be stimulated!" these were some words you read as a quote on one of the bronze plates set about denoting the donations of animals.
"Impossible!" you say softly, then catching the eye contact of the big Buffalo bull you repeart the words written in the sand. "Justin and Marge......Wolthouse !" you say slowly as the bull bellows out his wild delight at hearing his and his wife's real name spoken.
The camera about your neck you scramble up the chainlink fence, step onto the iron rails and boost yourself up and over the railing to stand on the now crowded brick pathway.
A quick look about noted Tim, Andria, and Hank standing by a security guard. Now before you stands two security guards as one takes a firm hold on your elbow. They are naturally alarmed and order you to leave quietly from the zoo.
Your friends are escorted toward the front gate as you are questioned for the fool reason of entering the restricted area below. It is as the questioning continues your eye spots yet another of the bronze plates but unlike the many others this one takes your full attention.
African Water Buffalo
One mature Bull and a Cow
Special thanks to the personal contribution
of: Justin and Marge Wolthouse.
Employees of the Thule Laboratory
It made some sense and yet this seemed impossible and crazier than crazy. You peer down seeing the cow walking back toward the mudhole and pond. Her bull husband standing a few yards away from where you stood below his head craned up as if looking and listening.
You are escorted out of the Zoo, to your car and sent out the front gate a day you shall remember. Tim says at least you got a picture. You look at him in wonder. He tells you that the sound of your shutter clicking was noted even up on the pathway above.
Grabbing your camera the roll of 36 shots has only one frame left. Maybe in the heat of that feared moments your finger stood on the shutter's automatic button. You wonder now what pictures it really took down in the Buffalo pit?