By Walt
To begin with I worked at a small zoo and one of my duties was to care for all the needs of the primates. Scotty was just a few weeks old and the decision was made to remove him and hand raise him. It was my duty to tranquilize the parents and go in the enclosure and remove Scotty. I did this without my heart in it because I knew I was pulling a family apart. I carried Scotty home that night and all he did was hide in the very back of his carrier. I made no attempt to push myself on him and allowed him to decide when he wanted to accept me. After three days he screamed and ran form his carrier and attached himself to my leg where he remained for the most part of the day. Luckily I was off that day. After only two weeks, I returned Scotty to the zoo area where his parents were he just hugged me and his parents acted as if they did not know who little Scotty was, he never looked back. He did have an older sister at the zoo who I would bring home from time to time and let them play and they bonded quite well.
I had no intention of making Scotty part of my family at this time, but as it would become clear to myself and everyone around me Scotty was going to be part of the family. W hen he was about 5 months old it was determined that he was to sent to a new owner out west. The deal had not been completed but I was told to bring Scotty in to prepare him for a plane trip out west. That morning Scotty and my two other children were at the breakfast bar eating. Scotty was between my son and daughter when I told him to come on. He was use to the trip to work because he went with me to work or anywhere I went. But today seemed different he first hugged my daughter and them my son, but would not let go of my son for they had already become like brothers in the short 3 months we had been together.
Well, on the way into work I lost it and knew it would be very difficult to let him go. To make a long story short Scotty missed his flight and now calls our home his home.
One of Scotty’s first duties at the zoo was that of good will ambassador, which he was really great. We survived on donated produce and other goods, which were quite expensive, that I believe were given because of the fact Scotty was always with me he was quick to give a hug or kiss to the giver of before mentioned goods. On one of these trips I was running late and left Scotty in the van with a lion cub and went in to get he produce for the zoo. Someone asked to see the lion and while I had the lion out Scotty just sat in the van and watched the world go by, or was he? He had watched the people going in the store and coming out with bags of groceries. Well, then it happened as I was putting the lion back into the van Scotty jumped out and started into the store I guess to get his own produce. A lady that must have been in her 70’s was, the first to see Scotty and I will tell you it did not make her day nor her husband who was standing near her. You could have heard her for 5 city blocks. I did not know a 70 year old woman had the lung capacity to holler like that. I am not sure who was more afraid the woman or Scottie. Well, Scottie took off down the can good isle screaming and the woman headed for the door. I just knew that it would be the last pickup I would do at that store. Scotty was climbing over the shelves screaming and trying to find me. I finally called to him and he lunged about 10 ten into my arms and we headed to the front door double quick. Much to my surprise the store manger met us there and handed Scotty a bunch of bananas and just smiled.
So much for our first shopping trip.