The zoo, part deux

I am a big fan of zoos. Is there some psychological reason behind it? I have no idea, but I just love them. I have been going to the Van Saun Zoo for decades, dating back to when admission was free. Yes, boys and girls, many years ago, before everyone was physically attached to a phone, it was free to go to the zoo in Bergen County.

When my boys were little, we would pack up our snacks — ironically, some of those snacks were Oreos — and we would head to the zoo. Their favorite spot was the monkey exhibit, where they could climb on the rocks and observe the monkeys while eating their snacks. I remember it like it was yesterday. The monkeys would start fighting, my boys would start fighting, and then it was time to head to the mountain lion. Good times.

I often would make fun of the animals at the Van Saun Zoo. I’d say that they must’ve failed some kind of exam that didn’t gain them admission to the Bronx Zoo, where the “real” animals were. But, like most things in life, you get what you pay for.

And now, what feels like 100 years later, I have been blessed with the ability to take Strudel there. During Camp Babka, we visited the zoo three times. Strudel walks around like she owns the place. I am proud to say that she knows where all the animals are, and, because at Camp Babka we don’t like any unhappy campers, I let her dictate the terms of our visit.

The first time we went during this session of camp, she spent, without exaggeration, 33 minutes watching the ostriches and the baby deer. Thirty-three minutes. Kids came and went, so did parents and grandparents, and Babka and Strudel still were there. She was fascinated. “Can we go see the monkeys?” Nope. “Can we go see the mountain lion?” Nope. “Can we go see the smelly cow again?” Nope.

And then there is the train. That train is older than I am. But the kids love it. Getting into the train, at least for me, has been a challenge. The first time I took Strudel on the train, I miscalculated the height of the seat and I banged my knee so hard that I saw actual stars. And because I was with Strudel, I refrained from shouting expletives. Yes, I was very proud of myself.

I have gotten much better at getting on the seat. Baruch Hashem.

One of my favorite things to do is observing the other people on line. How do they keep their kids entertained when the line is so long? Do they bribe them with snacks? Juice boxes? Entertaining banter? Full-on screaming? Dealer’s choice.

On this particular day at the zoo, it was very, very hot. So hot, in fact, that Strudel finished all her water and began imbibing from my crystal lite lemonade. (That, of course, led to us making real lemonade, but that is another story that is only interesting to those of us who are related to and love Strudel.)

In any event, we were waiting on line and we were close enough that a seat on the next train was ours. All of a sudden there was a commotion. An older woman (older than me, younger than ancient) fell to the floor. Her granddaughter started crying hysterically and the folks running the train came to help out.

But, I have to be honest, most of us, who had already been waiting in line with toddlers for half an hour, were only concerned with getting on the next train. Sure we worried about the poor lady who didn’t hydrate properly, but we were almost on the train!!

The people in charge started redirecting the train traffic, making room for the stretcher to come take the overheated lady away. But since people are people, they started cutting the line. The train came, and a bunch of us did not get on.

We were not pleased. It was still very hot out. And instead of worrying about the lady, folks cut the line. “Why?” I ask “Why???????”

But Strudel and her new friends on line were all troupers. We sat on the floor and patiently waited for the next train.

Life lessons at Van Saun Zoo.

And the woman was fine, thank God.

The end.

Banji Ganchrow of Teaneck often wonders if the Bison/Buffalo at Van Saun are older than she is….