You can never be sure with birds

In keeping with my semi-bird theme this week, I would like to share a little story with you.

Last week I went to the zoo with my sister and her children. It was a pretty decent day for being outside and we had not been to the zoo in a while.

So we made the usual rounds-lion, sharks, monkeys, all the favorites.
But we got a little more than we bargained for when we went to see the elephants.

We enjoyed listening to the zoo keeper explain to us about elephants, what they eat, where they sleep and the difference between Asian and African. Did you know that elephants can weigh about 5 tons and female elephants are pregnant for 2 years and nurse for 3? They are my heroes! Seriously, a year and a half and I'm done with the whole process. Can you imagine being an elephant? Well, I feel like an elephant when I'm pregnant, but I digress.

As we stood there, this lovely peacock found it's way into the area with the elephants. The zoo lady explained that there are 9 peacocks at the zoo and they all have their own territory and this was the territory of this particular bird.

But moments later we see not one, but two peacocks throttling toward the fence where all of the onlookers were.

The zoo keeper said "Well, I guess this wasn't his territory and now he's getting chased out. Give him some room to get out, everyone. "

Right about this moment the peacock flys across the fence at full speed, obviously trying to keep his tail feathered hind-end from getting thrashed.

The majority of us, including the people only 2 feet from this bird, took a little step back to give the bird some room.

But one guy, one lone man with an obvious terror of birds couldn't take the pressure.

Even though he was a good 20 feet away from the bird, he had to make his get away. Cuz you never know, that bird could have made eye contact with him and decided upon a new enemy.

So this young man, probably in his late teens, early twenties, literally scrambles as fast as he can to get away from the bird that is nowhere near him. But in the process, he forgets that his girlfriend and baby are right behind him.

So instead of making a quick getaway, he tripped over his baby in the stroller and had to do the "arms flailing, short quick steps" maneuver in order to not land on his face.

Of course, by the time he looked up to see where the demon bird was, it was long gone and he was left only with the disgusted look on his girlfriend's face, and my sister trying to unsuccessfully keep from laughing her head off.

Can you imagine what his girlfriend must have thought of him at that moment?

I can guess she wondered what he would do if a REAL danger approached them. Would he push her and the baby out of the way to get away from the vicious chicken? Or the attacking pigeon?
Would he grab the baby as a human shield in the event that a seagull got too close?

Believe me, there have been some great jokes made around here at the expense of this poor guy.

I don't think I would let it slide if I was his significant other. I might randomly scream as we walked down the street "oh no, not a sparrow!!"

Or, I might surprise him awake by making loud clucking noises in his ear, and squeal with delight when he jumped out of bed only to hide under it.

But the best, the absolute funniest?

On our way out of the zoo we saw one of the peacocks in the parking lot, Maile's sister in law Kim
saw it and said, not in a hushed voice "It's a peacock, everybody dive!!!"

To which my reply was "Um, that guy is right over there."

And he was. He was loading his baby and his girlfriend into their car not fifty feet away and heard it all.

But it was hard to feel sorry for someone who placed his own safety above that of his baby's and girlfriend's lives.

Even if it was over something as fierce and scary as a peacock.