“I went on down to dee Audubon Zoo an day all axed fuh you, duh monkeys axed, duh tiguhs axed, duh elephant axed me too”…
Felicia, Erin and Chris sang the Audubon Zoo song as they traveled the beautiful, tree lined streets of the Garden District .
It’s an infectious, feel good, silly song that’s often heard blasting from bars and gift shops across the city. You cant help but to feel happy, and a little silly, when hearing this little Zydeco tune, even more so when you sing it.
As they strolled through the zoo, Chris smiled at Felicia, noticing that her eyes were wide with amazement at the tiger exhibit. It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon; part two of Erin and Chris’ date, a date that was unwittingly chaperoned by a precarious little 7-year old.
They stood in front of the monkey exhibit taking in the antics of these agile creatures who were hard at play, swinging from limb to limb. Occasionally these almost human-like primates paused from their antics to watch the crowd. When watching the monkeys it’s hard to decipher who is more entertained, the monkeys or the spectators.
As these things go, monkeys can be as playful as they can be...inappropriate. Off to the side, a pair of amorous monkeys certainly caught Felicia’s attention.
"What are they doin??" She asked with innocent inquisitiveness.
Chris and Erin noticed that these two particular monkeys were doing, well, what monkeys are prone to do. With utter disregard to onlookers, no matter what the age. These two were engaged in, uh, monkey play, if you will.
"Oh my God!" Erin laughed. "You wanna answer that one for Felicia?" she looked to Chris, who was completely red faced.
"Who knows? Might be a good opportunity to test your fathering skills," she continued, desperately trying to curb her laughter.
"Uh, well," Chris began to Felicia, "they’re trying to keep each other warm," Chris dismissively explained, wishing that he could be anywhere but here at this moment in time.
Erin stood to the side, smiling at Chris, enjoying his improv performance in the hot seat with Felicia.
"But, it’s hot outside," Felicia logically replied.
"Yes, yes it is...but, they’re cold natured," Chris quickly quipped, hoping to bring this conversation to a rapid conclusion.
"Have you ever tried to keep someone warm like that Mr. Chris?" Felicia asked with unspoiled innocence in her voice.
"Well, no...at least not in a long while unfortunately," Chris deadpanned, "but, I can still count on my fingers how many people that I have kept warm that way; I even have fingers left over in the tally," he joked with a straight face, glancing to Erin with a nervous smile.
Erin finally erupted in full blown laughter. "Nicely done," Erin complimented as she took Felicia’s hand, leading her to the next, hopefully, “G” rated exhibit.
"C'mon Felicia, we’ll leave Chris to study the monkeys for a while, he might learn something," Erin teased, looking back at Chris.
Chris trailed behind a few feet, still looking at the monkeys, who’d clearly put him on the spot.
"Thanks a lot you two," he grumbled under his breath to the amorous primates. Erin again looked back at Chris with a smile.
"Cotton candy!!!!!!" Felicia yelled.
"Oh God," Chris sighed. "Your Auntie told me NO sweets for you baby girl."
"Oh…C’mon, Mr. Chris," Erin chimed in with Felicia."
"Please Mr. Chris," they both repeatedly begged.
"Uh, you’re not helping the matter," Chris scolded Erin. "I don’t want her auntie yellin’ at me when I bring her home with a thin layer of syrup covering her from head to toe; absolutely NO cotton candy...end of discussion."
Ten minutes later, Erin and Felicia sat under a beautiful oak tree etching away, layer after layer, at their cotton candy as Chris stood next to them watching the giant tuft of pink sugar slowly disappear. He‘d been soundly outvoted.
"C’mon Chris," Erin prodded, "you know you want some of this," she giggled.
"I beg your pardon?" Chris asked.
"Cotton candy," she clarified, extending a glob of sticky pink cotton toward him.
"Oh, just wanted to make sure I was clear, after the monkey cage," he said with a sly smile.
Chris moved forward, the confection waved like a flag in the wind as she placed it in his mouth. A sticky trail of syrup clung to his chin and nose; Erin laughed as she took a wet napkin and wiped the mess from Chris’ face. He felt like a five year old; the moment took him back to another place, a happier time that he and Erin once shared.
He vividly recalled the sunlight softly glowing through a partially opened blind just over the bed.
"I love watching you sleep." Erin whispered as she caressed Chris’ face.
It was a distant thought that Chris visited from time to time; a nicer time when their love had begun to bloom. It was new; an exhillarating newness that, for some couples, never fades.
Erin’s touch reminded Chris of many mornings, lying in that bed as she lay next to him, watching as he slept, gently touching his hair and his face. He remembered the good times, like her caring for him when he was sick or when they’d just lay in bed all afternoon watching TV.
It was a quiet ride home as Felicia slept in the back seat, clearly exhausted from the zoo outing. Parking in front of Thomas' house, Chris opened the rear door and hoisted Felicia to his chest. She was barely awake, hanging in his arms like a rag doll when Thomas stepped from the front porch.
"Damn boy," he whispered, "you give her a valium?"
"Nope...a shot of vodka," Chris joked. "Actually, she ran a lot today."
"I think she’s down for the count," Erin chimed in.
"Thank y’all both for takin’ her."
"No problem man; we had fun," Chris assured.
"The monkeys had more fun," Erin laughed.
Thomas shifted his eyes quickly between Chris and Erin with a puzzled expression.
"Trust me, you don’t wanna know," Chris deadpanned.
Back at Erin’s house, the conclusion of date number two found Chris and Erin standing on her front porch.
"I had fun today."
"Me too," Chris agreed, studying Erin’s face."
"What?" She nervously asked, swatting at her face.
Chris reached toward her cheek, brushing away a small piece of cotton candy. Erin extended her hand to Chris’ face, gently rubbing his chin.
"Do I have cotton candy face too?" He asked.
"No," she dismissed, with a coy smile.
They moved toward each other and shared a gentle kiss. Even though the indescribable butterflies that accompany the first kiss were ever present, it felt so comfortable to both.
Chris wondered how he could possibly feel butterflies with someone he’d kissed a thousand times.
"I’ll talk to you later," Erin sighed, with a smile. Turning to the steps, she looked back toward Chris. "Call me if you want."
They stood twenty feet apart, smiling at one another before both slowly walked toward one another. After coming face to face, Erin paused. They kissed again, this time more passionately.
"OK…I think the monkeys are axing for us now," Erin laughed as they both composed themselves in the tiny front yard.
As Chris turned for the car, Erin called out from the porch.
"Hey!"
"Yeah?" he replied.
"You’d make a good father by the way, no matter what you think," she assured.
"I’m good with other people’s kids," he laughed.
"Whatever," she dismissed.
"I’ll call ya’ soon," Chris assured, closing the car door.
Chris’ tail lights disappeared around the corner; watching until he was out of sight, Erin sighed and turned to walk inside, humming the Audubon Zoo song to herself. Chris did the same as he rounded the corner, heading for home.
copyright, Pontchartrain Press 2008
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