a day at the zoo

(today we heard storks singing clicking love songs to each other while the trains rattled below)
i bet you didn't know there is a triangle of bermuda at the blijdorp zoo. how could you, since it disguises itself as the innocent T-crossing in front of the butterfly hot-house. i have in the past mislaid various entities there, from strollers to wallets. and today it happened again: i lost Toini. which is remarkable in itself, because he is one of those very well-adjusted ducklings who may seem to be going off by himself without paying me any attention, but in fact has me in his radar at all times.

and i lost him completely: one moment he was right there, trotting ahead of us, the next moment, he was gone. just gone. and i couldn't feel him anywhere either. he had just disappeared. it was terrifying. a full ten minutes i looked for him (although it only felt like ten days...), calling, running around, and making all those mad deals with the universe that only desperate lovers and desperate parents make. then we found him, cheerful and well. in the playground.

(his version of the incident, as told to pappa upon our return: 'mama was heel verdrietig, ze riep 'waar is mijn klein kindje????' en ik wachte gewoon op haar bij de paal') ('pole???' what 'pole'??? it turned out he meant the little branch sticking out of the ground by his feet...)

having recovered from the shock in the sunshine-drenched hammock, i noticed a chill between my ears and realized i was no longer wearing my very favourite wooly hat. it had disappeared from my head while i was searching for Toini. and guess where i found it? that's right. in the bermuda triangle. waiting for me. cheerful and well. on a pole.

(the hat's version of this incident was unfortunately lost in the mists of inter-species communication)