Immersions

Farky stood outside the old Elephant House in his plastic Panda Hat, stricken with thoughts of mortality.

You need cheering up Farky, said Sweezus. This is a sad part of the zoo. I'm going to take you to an Immersion.

An Immersion! said Farky. His ears pricked up, setting his Panda Hat askew. What's that?

I read about Immersion while I was inside the elephant house, said Sweezus. It's when the Zoo tries to make you feel as though you're totally immersed in the animals' habitat. For example, you walk along a narrow jungle trail lined with tall bamboos and emerge onto a high wooden viewing platform right under a treeful of gibbons.

Gibbons! said Farky. Are they alive? he asked, suspiciously.

Of course they are, said Sweezus. Come on let's follow our map.

They passed the giraffe enclosure, which seemed too small for the two tall giraffes who lived there. A meerkat in an adjoining enclosure paced up and down on the concrete just inside the fence. A sun bear looked decidedly depressed. Sweezus hoped they would soon find an Immersion.

Farky had recovered from his existential moment. He was bounding ahead along the path sniffing at smells. When he reached the Nocturnal House, he stuck his head in. Near the entrance was a sign that said Shush! The Ghost Bats have just had babies. Please help them by being as quiet as possible. He tiptoed in.

Horrible Circumstances

Sweezus had obtained a map of the Zoo from the ticket office.

Where would you like to go next? he asked Farky.

Farky looked at the map.

The Old Elephant House! he said.

They followed a path beside a stone wall until they came to the Elephant House. Sweezus stayed outside to read the interpretive signs. Farky went straight in.

Aarrggh! he cried, running straight out again.

Calm down, said Sweezus. What happened? Did you see an elephant?

No, said Farky, I saw a SKELETON!

Of an elephant? asked Sweezus, interestedly.

No, of a GIANT MONKEY! squawked Farky. Don't go in! It's horrible!

Sweezus went in.

After a while he came out.

Well? said Farky.

It's nothing to be scared of, said Sweezus. It's the skeleton of George the orang utan. I've just been reading all about him. He was a favourite at the Zoo from 1950 until 1976.

Then what? asked Farky.

Then he died, said Sweezus.

So they skinned him and put him on display? said Farky. That's no way to treat a favourite!

Actually, they sent him to the university, said Sweezus. For research purposes.

That's even worse! groaned Farky. So how did he end up back here?

After twenty years the university returned him, said Sweezus. I suppose by then they'd upgraded to a virtual computer-generated dead orang utan. That must have left the Zoo in a quandary. They already had a nice bronze statue of George, near his old cage. Now what should they do with the superfluous real George?

Display him in the Old Elephant House to show us animals how wicked people are! said Farky. And what happened to the old elephants, I'd like to know?

No, you wouldn't, said Sweezus.