A Brief Visit- It’s not happening at the Zoo?

Source: The author.

A Brief Visit . It’s not happening at the Zoo?  “Someone told me it’s all happening at the Zoo.  I do believe it.  I do believe it’s true.” Assiniboine Park Zoo, Winnipeg, January 27, 2022

A magnificent day–  the sky deep blue, glorious sunshine, and snow glistening (mounds of it!)

Time for visiting the zoo!  Lovely drive!  Only about a dozen cars in the parking lot.  Strange!

Vax and membership card flashed and instantly I’m in!  The bison seem content in their snow bound enclosure.  But my hands soon start to feel a little tingly– it doesn’t feel like the -8 C I read on the car gauge.

The grey wolves seem comfortable in their fluffy coats, but the lynx, huddled in its small shelter, peers out at me with wary yellow eyes.  Decision time!  Too frigid for picture taking.  It’s definitely cold!

Yes, time for the short cut past the Toucan Ridge (tropical house building), past the caribou hunkered down in the distance, back to the gift shop.  There a cheery smile welcomes me.  Just two of us in the store.

Finally back in the parking lot, the sun still brilliant and the sky still exceptionally blue, the car seat comfy warm, and my fogged glasses now clear, I see there is a ‘1′ in front of an ‘8′ on the temperature gauge,  -18 C! That and the slight breeze, I reason, warrant my early departure.

Homeward bound, I decide I’ll wait for a bit of a thaw before a next visit!

 

Frank Obrigewitsch, SJ, is pastor of St. Ignatius parish in Winnipeg.

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6 Comments
  • Richard Grover
    Posted at 08:22h, 16 February Reply

    Finding God in all things….even in WINTERpeg. Thanks Frank.

  • Karen Arthurs
    Posted at 12:07h, 16 February Reply

    I enjoyed your visit too!
    Thank you.

  • Margaret Powell
    Posted at 12:22h, 16 February Reply

    A very descriptive story of a frigid experience and one beautiful picture! Thank you! Living here in San Diego our Zoo can not provide such a narrative.

  • Connie Shaw
    Posted at 14:07h, 16 February Reply

    Thank you Frank. I always enjoy your visits to the Zoo.

  • Peter Bisson
    Posted at 14:28h, 16 February Reply

    Thank you Frank! That was almost a Haiku.

  • Friederika Priemer
    Posted at 15:45h, 16 February Reply

    Fr. Frank, Thank you very much for your cute article – I love it!

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