Chapter 17 - Page 261 - Trouble In Chicago

   Jim, Rhasha and Shanha saw all kinds of animals, even farm animals.

   "Papa," Shanha asked, pointing to an animal that moped around its enclosure, head hanging down, "what kind of animal is that?"

   Jim looked. "That's a donkey."

   Shanha tried to get the donkey's attention, but it ignored her. Jim noticed zoo personnel feeding livestock across the yard. They stopped what they were doing and started walking toward the donkey.

   "Look at him," Shanha said, "he looks so sad."

   For the first time, the donkey looked up and saw Shanha. He emitted a loud hee haw and began jumping up and down and kicking his back legs out behind him. The donkey backed away from the fence and stared at the people approaching on the opposite side.

   Rhasha became alarmed. "Jim, do you think that could
be . . . ?"

   Jim laughed. "No, it's not Clyde."

   When the donkey heard "Clyde," he responded with another hee haw.

   Rhasha agreed it couldn't be Clyde and they began to walk away. Jim had to look back again, just to reassure himself. By this time, the zoo personnel had reached the donkey. One of them scratched his head and looked at the other zoo worker. "Where'd this donkey come from?" Jim overheard him say.

   Jim and Rhasha smirked at each other. They looked at Shanha. It took her a second or two, but she figured out the donkey was Clyde. They all began laughing, and took off running. They didn't stop running until they were out of the donkey's sight. As they were catching their breath, Shanha had only one comment: "Papa, I think I'm ready to go now."

   "Me too," Rhasha agreed.

   They left the zoo, returned the rental car to the rental company, and took a taxi back to the truck. Soon the truck was back on the highway. The diesel engine hummed as Jim drove toward Texas.

End of chapter seventeen