by Doorstop » Wed Oct 21, 2009 6:01 am
Darren is on work experience at the zoo and his supervisor, Mr Johnson, is giving him his tasks for the day:
"Right young Darren, let's get you started on something easy. Take this bucket of seed to the aviary and feed the Red-Cheeked Bullfinches."
Darren, being a capable lad does as he's told but discovers to his horror that every single finch is lying dead at the bottom of the cage. Dilligently he rushes back to tell Mr Johnson the bad news.
"Oh how dreadful! Well nature does not waste and neither shall we." says the supervisor. "Throw them in with the lions and we can save on beef this week."
Darren's next task is a little more taxing: "Take this wheelbarrow of fruit over to Primates' Paradise and feed the chimpanzees." say the supervisor.
Darren is not daunted by the task and trots off, but discovers to his dismay that all the chimpanzees are lying dead at the bottom of their enclosure. Once again he returns to Mr Johnson to relay the tragic news. "Oh how terrible! Poor Charlie, Bo-Bo and the others. Still, such is the circle of life. Throw them in with lions and I'll cancel tomorrow's meat delivery.
Darren is crestfallen but Mr Johnson is keen to take his mind off things. "Looks like it's just not your day Darren. Here, just put these new information signs up around the Eurasian Honeybee hives."
Happy with his lot, Darren makes his way to the hives, but finds to his great chargrin that every bee is lying dead on the ground. Again he reports back to Mr Johnson, upset by his apparent 'touch of death'.
"Oh how awful! And an endangered species to boot." sighs the supervisor "Alas, nature - red in tooth and claw. Best throw them in with the lions - but be sure to grind them up first, we don't want the lions to sting their mouths."
In the lion enclosure Simba - the newest arrival - watches Darren throw the bee pulp over the barrier and turns excitedly to his fellow big cats and says ...
... wait for it, wait for it ...
... "Guys this is great! I've only been here a couple of hours and I've already had finch, chimps and mushy bees."
I like him ... He says "Okie Dokie!"