The Old Man in the Kraal

The Petting Kraal is Nicky’s favorite exhibit at the San Diego Zoo. We can never visit the zoo without heading to that exhibit first. She’s so darling with those sheep and goats. She pets them gently and hand feeds them hay with a huge smile on her face. By the way she treats them you’d think they were much more than common farm animals. Throughout the past year, as Nicky was interacting with her animal friends, I noticed an addition to the exhibit. Every time we came, an old man in a wheelchair was stationed under the shady animal lean-to. On closer look I recognized the vacant foggy gaze. His frightening skinny appendages testified that he’d long since given up his appetite. He also had a penchant for staring aimlessly into the sky. However, even in his compromised state it was obvious that he loved being near the animals. As a younger man, he was probably a farmer. He wore a plaid shirt and overalls. Someone who loved him knew that animals cheered him and had carefully situated him in the shade and outfitted him in plastic gloves. When the animals would come close to him he would reach out a shaky hand and pat them gently and smile. He was always there when we came so I imagine he was in his station from dawn until dusk.

We let our zoo pass lapse for five months. I just recently renewed. Today was our first trip to the kraal since December. It was a busy day as school just got out here yesterday. Children filled the exhibit with their laughing and chattering. Nicky was smiling her usual grin as she interacted with the goats and sheep. I smelled the familiar mingled scent of hay and animal droppings. I looked to see the old man in his corner under the shed but saw nothing but dust and goat droppings. Suddenly I was overwhelmed with grief. I turned my head so that the flood of my tears would not drown the smiles and laughter behind me.