A Lovely Story

The zoo

Pling...pling....he checked his phone

-Hi John, I know that your birthday is in 2 weeks, how about instead of having breakfast at George's we go to the zoo? Got 2 tickets.

-yea when?

-whenever you want,

-how about Wednesday, my day off,

-perfect, I was watching in the early morning news they have shows at night in the summer so let's get there not too early, how about 2pm, we eat there

-good idea, 2 is a good hour

-see you Wednesday at the entrance at 2pm

-great

it was all on her, the whole day was her birthday gift to him, she was so happy, she was looking in her closet for the perfect outfit for walking in the zoo in a sunny day.

he was there at 1:50pm, she knew he was going to be there on time, so she was there early before he got there.

He saw her near the entrance, it was a hot day, she had on shorts, t-shirt and a hat, he also had long shorts, t-shirt, hat and a belt bag

-Hi John

-Hi Kate

-no need to get in line already have the tickets

When they entered, they gave each of them a zoo map and the schedules of the shows.

-do you want to have lunch first?

-yes

They got lucky a couple just got up and left a table in the shade with an umbrella, they sat down.

-let me order, what do you want John?

-burger, fries and diet soda,

She ordered the same thing but with lemonade, she tried to avoid soft drinks.

-ok, want your burger with cheese

-yes, please

She got in line to order,

When he was at the table, he was looking at the map, planning wear to go first, the exhibits and show timings and routs, which were the closest and indoor trying to avoid the hot sun, like the reptile exhibit, the nursery, koalas, the sun wasn't so bad after 3pm when they finish eating still they went to the closes and indoors, afterwards they followed the trail to the rain forest, their favorite was the tiger exhibit when they got there the cubs were playing around in the water everyone that was there including mama tiger were having fun looking at the playing cubs.

They continued walking the trail with plants and flowers of the rainforest, she saw a restroom

-I'm going to the restroom to wash my hands their' a little sticky I think from the ketchup

-oh, me too

He went into the men's, when she came out of the restroom, he was sitting on a bench in front of the entrance where she went in, but the women's restroom exit was on the opposite side, so she saw him from the back he didn't see her, he got up to read about one of the plant exhibits, she noticed that there was no one close by.

-gotcha!

very playfully she held him from the back, just for a couple of seconds

-That's what I say to Caterina when she sees the door open

-I'm your Caterino

He smiled, and held both her hands that where around his waist,

She leaned back, with her fingertips caressed his back and they both continued walking separately exiting the rain forest trail.

They really enjoyed walking together at the zoo, the trails, the animals, the bus tour, aerial tram, and all the night shows were amazing, the whole day was so great, even getting a snack sitting down and talking, it was such a perfect day, they enjoyed themselves so much that they made it a tradition to celebrate his birthday every year at the zoo. Every year she got him a small gift from the zoo, a hard plastic animal a tiger, a bottle opener with a 3d bear and magnet on the back for the fridge, a flamingo retractable back scratcher, always a little something that she put in his belt bag, he didn't say anything he thought that it was something she couldn't fit in her crossbody bag, she wanted him to have a souvenir to remember the day, that first time she got him a very small panda bear that opened his arms and could grab on to something, very cute.

When they were walking to their cars

-it was a very nice day, Thanks Kate, oh let me give you what you put in my belt bag 

-it's yours, a souvenir of the day 

-thanks again Kate...he gave her a big smile

- you're most welcome Caterino, let's do it again next year.

They both smiled and said goodbye