Chapter 17 - Page 256 - Trouble In Chicago

   Shanha said, "It's not fair. The snake got Adam and Eve into trouble and nothing happened to him."

   "Not true, Angel," Jim replied. "In those days, snakes walked on feet, like other creatures. God took away the snake's feet and caused him to crawl on his belly. He also caused man to fear snakes. Man and snakes couldn't talk to each other anymore."

   "I think we should get away from these snakes," Shanha said, "before they get us into trouble."

   Jim smiled at Shanha. He knelt in front of her and touched her cheek. "Okay sweetheart, what would you like to see next?"

   Jim could see the gears turning in Shanha's head as she thought. "Do they have any monkeys here?"

   "It wouldn't be a zoo, if they didn't have monkeys."

   It didn't take Jim, Rhasha, and Shanha long to find the monkeys. When they did, Shanha had another question. "Do you have any stories about monkeys?"

   Jim knelt down and kissed her on the forehead. "Yes, I sure do." Jim assumed a serious expression as he began his story. "Once upon a time, there was an older white man, a teenage black girl, and a little black girl, who went to the zoo."

   Shanha grinned, already liking this story. She listened attentively. The monkeys chattered and ran all around the cages.

   "The little black girl kept asking a lot of questions . . . " Rhasha smiled as she figured out who Jim was talking about. " . . . so the older white man threw the little black girl in the cage with the monkeys and left her there."

   Jim grinned as Shanha figured out that Jim was talking about her, and jumped behind Rhasha. She poked her head between Rhasha's arm and her waist. "Mama," she yelled, eyes twinkling-she knew Jim was teasing, "don't let Papa throw me in the cage with the monkeys!"