At the Zoo

by Corey Mesler

— I never said that.

— You said something approximately like that.

— I never said that.

— What difference does it make?

— Well–

— I only want to know, if, you know, you see this as ongoing.

— Ongoing. That sounds so passionate.

— Passionately ongoing.

— Jeff, listen. I said, you know I said, that you and I were the best thing that’s ever happened to me.

— There’s a ‘but’ there somewhere.

— There isn’t. We are great together.

— You mean.

— That too. Yes. We clicked there, you know we did.

— Yes.

— For you, maybe, it was, I don’t know, usual.

— No.

— Usual as in I was certainly not the first.

— Well–

— Nor the twenty-first.

— But the last. You don’t want to be the last.

— Jeff. Yes. I think I want that.

— But– again ‘but’.

— No. Listen. There is that... that frisson when we’re together, you know.

— Yes.

— That lubricious – exciting – hungry— fleshly thing and the way you–

— Yes.

— Well, I mean, never before, for me, have I–

— Yes. I know.

— I didn’t even think I... you know.

— Yes.

— So that was great. That was... earth-shattering.

— Really?

— Yes. You know so.

— I didn’t–

— But–

— Right.

— No, listen. You opened me. That’s the expression. You opened me. On that level–

— A lower level.

— No, I don’t think so. Do you?

— No. No, I don’t.

— It is important. That level. It’s... paramount–

— Yes. I know.

— So – I mean – before you – I didn’t even know–

— Yes.

— So, please. This... misunderstanding–

— Is it? Is it only that?

— I think so.

— Okay.

— You... well, you’re–

— Okay.

— That... look, have you seen this exhibit before?

— No.

— It’s remarkable really.

— This is new.

— Yes. Just opened, I think.

— It is. I wasn’t even–

— Look. Look at the way she looks at us.

— It’s a bit unsettling.

— A bit.

— She... well, she could feed a large family with those.

— Ha... yes, look at that.

— They have babies here somewhere. Gyp told me.

— Really?

— Yeah, little ones.

— She looks like maybe she’s had some babies. She looks sad, really.

— Yes.

— She’s looking at you. She’s looking right at you.

— It’s... unsettling.

— Yes.

— She needs to move away from that... that pile–

— It’s dung.

— I know what it is.

— She’s staying close to it. You don’t think–

— I saw an orangutan once throw a piece at a little boy.

— Yeah, I’ve heard of that.

— She’s —

— She’s pretty in a way. Do you think so?

— I guess so. She has breasts... they’re almost too big.

— Yeah, I know that’s a turn-off.

— No, I mean. For her size. She’s got such little hips.

— Yeah, maybe she hasn’t had babies.

— She could have.

— She’s really looking at us.

— Help me.

— OH MY GOD!

— Please help me.

— SHE’S TALKING TO US!

— Listen to me. They put us in here. They... you’ve got to help us.

— GOD. This is freaking me out.

— Listen. Please. We are not wild. We... you have to tell someone.

— How did you–

— Don’t talk back to her.

— Why don’t we talk back to her?

— She’s... you idiot. You do like her big breasts. This is what—

— It’s not her breasts, Marcy. She’s talking to us.

— Please. Please.

— JESUS. Where are the–

— Please.

— I’m sorry—

— Jeff, you go ahead. You do what you think is best. This is what I’m talking about.

— Please.

— Marcy, we can’t just... walk away.

— We can. We most decidedly can. What do you think everyone else does?

— I don’t–

— Please. Listen to me.

— Don’t, Jeff. Don’t listen to her.

— But–

— You want to stay here and look and listen and think she means those big breasts for you go ahead.

— Marcy–

— Go ahead, Jeff. Look at her breasts and her... her... hair. That’s what she wants you to do. She’s... feral. She’s caged, Jeff.

— Marcy. I can’t–

— Please. Jeff.

— Oh, Jesus.

— Jeff, please. You’re a good man. Don’t–

— Marcy, I–

— Jeff, come on. She’s learned to use your name. Just go with me. Come on. There’s the bears. You like the bears.

— Marcy, should we–

— Jeff. Come on. Leave her alone. They will take care of her.

— Please. Please. Please.

— Don’t let her call you by name, Jeff. Come now.

— Okay. Okay, Marcy. I—

— Please. Please. Please.