Caged

I have been out all day with Alex. We invited all our friends to go to the little zoo with us in my hometown, but they all bailed. It was just him and I and that was fine by me! Today we celebrated our fifteen month anniversary. It's special because we could actually be together for our special day. During the school year, we are separated by miles and miles of highway. Every hello makes all the goodbyes worth it. We're strong and we make a good team.

We had a really nice time. Everyone there was with little kids and there were packs of school kids on field trips and then there was us. We held hands and wound our way through all the exhibits and stopped in the shade. It was just very nice. I hadnt been to the local zoo in a while. The Rhinos were my favorite. Theyre just so big! I guess I had forgotten exactly how huge they are. They seemed gentle, though I know they can charge. They just lumbered around their exhibit.
I like zoos because they educate the people and they are safe places for animals, but sometimes it just makes me sad to see them in cages, being stared at and taunted by humans day in and day out. I would hate it. Maybe they know no different... but it can't be particularly pleasant to sleep and be watched by so many curious, prying people or be yelled at to move around for the enjoyment of the spectators.
The orangutangs looked just plain bored. We stared at them, they stared back. And that was that. That's their day, looking at people who are looking at them. They "people watch," and ignore the toilet paper tubes all over the floor (for enrichment). What a life.
It frightens me and makes me feel pity for them. Theyre caged. Theyre not mistreated, but theyre sure missing out on something...