Maturity Can Be A Tall Order

(At our zoo, during certain times of the day, guests can buy lettuce to feed our giraffes on an observation deck.  One day a man comes up with his family carrying a couple of leafy branches.)

Guest: “Hey, I found these branches in the woods around the zoo.  Can I feed these to the giraffes?”

Me: “No, sorry, sir.  The zookeepers determine the diets of the giraffes, and we really can’t feed them anything the keepers haven’t approved.  If you would like to feed them, you can purchase some lettuce.”

Guest: *disappointed* “Okay, I guess that makes sense.  I’ll get a few pieces of lettuce for my kids.”

(I return to selling lettuce to other guests, when out of the corner of my eye I see the man holding the branches just out of reach of the male giraffe’s tongue.  The giraffe is clearly desperate to get the leaves, and the man is grinning. My coworker apparently witnesses this as well.)

Coworker: “Sir, please stop teasing the giraffes.”

Guest’s Wife: *to her husband* “You’re a 36-year-old man.  You should know better!”

This story is part of the second Clueless Zoo Customers roundup!

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