Chapter Four

A New Day

It’s as if my life has started over again. I find peace in my day-to-day existence. The other animals and I are so happy to lie around in our new enclosures without the hectic and stressful show schedule we’ve become accustomed to. Each day, we look forward to being released into a designated fenced area where each of us is allowed a few hours of play and leisure time. Even though the earth beneath my feet is rocky and hard, it’s quite different from the cement floors in cages that many big cats call their home. It just feels good and natural underneath my paws. My favorite spot in this area is in the shade of a large cottonwood tree where I relax after having some fun romping around with Jonathan or Tina. I also get a better view of my surroundings and enjoy watching the activity around me. The entertainment world has taken a toll on my body, but my soul is more at peace than ever before. I seldom think about my past anymore. There is no point in dwelling on the bad things, so I do the best I can to enjoy the moments when I get to play with my friends and a new girl named Sheena. She roars like me, looks like me, and smells like me. She’s just a lot smaller. I feel myself getting goose bumps just thinking about her. Do lions get goose bumps?

Speaking of friends, Tina isn’t here this morning. I wonder if she’s gone to fetch another animal who is in need of help. Jonathan calls this place a “sanctuary,” and it’s a home for “retired exotic wildlife.” Retired? I guess that’s what all of us are considered now—retired from the entertainment world. Since a male lion usually lives to a little more than fourteen years of age, I’m glad the time I have left will be peaceful as I am already seven years old.

Did I say “peaceful”? Guess I spoke too soon because the truck has just pulled into the driveway. Tina’s driving and there are several cages in the back. There’s so much noise and commotion that I begin to pace in my cage. What could make such a screeching sound as this?

Monkeys! Oh, I’ve heard about these primates from some of my other show friends but have never seen one with my own eyes. They are quite unique! Tina says to the other people gathered around, “Well, let’s welcome home our new friends. These are the primates that Sheriff Joseph Arpaio rescued! All safe and sound, so let’s get to work everyone!”

The monkeys are all different from one another and are of various species of primates. Some have long tails, a few have no tails, and there is even an animal called a ring-tailed lemur that has a very long black-and-white striped tail. I’m amazed at the sight but also very irritated that my peaceful day has been ruined. I continue to watch as, one by one, the crates of monkeys are unloaded from the truck bed by all the keepers and volunteers. I see a very large monkey that’s reminding me of a story told by a leopard that had once lived in Africa. He had been captured and brought to America as a cub. He was the only big cat I’d ever met who was actually born in his native country. He passed away several years ago, but I can recall the stories clearly and, if they are true, this is almost certainly a baboon!

Some of the monkeys get to stay together in one cage, but the lemur with the black-and-white striped tail gets a room of his—or I should say her—own. Then there’s that baboon. He doesn’t look happy and makes some very intimidating gestures with his mouth, showing his very large canines. These teeth can grow to about two inches long, which is about the same size as mine, and are sometimes referred to as fangs. Of course, he doesn’t frighten me since I’m at the top of the food chain, but I feel a bit uneasy with the way he jumps at the cage and quickly runs from side to side. He seems to like picking up handfuls of sand and rock and throwing them at any human who comes close to his cage. I hope he’ll fall asleep soon because he’s making me nervous. I’ll sleep better when he has quieted down.

§ § § § § §

It’s a new day, and the sun has begun to rise. All the animals are being pulled awake by its light. The baboon’s covered enclosure is across the pathway from mine, and I’m curious what his name is.

“My name’s Billy, and I’m an Olive baboon, for your information,” he replies when I ask.

“Billy, that’s a nice name. I was just wondering where you came from; why are you here?”

“Long story,” he says as he sits down and grasps the bars of his cage with his human-like hands—four fingers and a thumb, just like Jonathan. “Let’s just say I got out of hand. Chained to a bed rail, I broke loose and sort of tore my owner’s apartment to shreds. I just couldn’t stand it anymore and had to get away! My punishment was to be sent away. I’m dangerous and unpredictable. Well, no kidding, I’m a wild animal! When has that become news?”

Billy is staring at the ground now. He looks so sad—no longer angry, only very sad. He’s been taken away from the only family he’s ever known and now has no idea what his life will be like. He seems to have loved his master, as I did and still do, but as most stories go that start with humans having wildlife as pets, it ended terribly for Billy. Such stories seldom have happy endings.

Alone in his new enclosure, he moves off to the corner and lays his head on the ground. I can see him shaking, and I feel very sorry for this creature. But I have no words at this time to console him. It’s hard enough for me to grasp all the changes that have taken place lately; I can hardly help him to understand also. I shut my eyes as well and look forward to playtime with Sheena, Natasha, and Hope. It occurs to me that there’s a special meaning behind the name of my friend: Hope. I wish I could tell Billy that there is hope for a better future. He should never give up, or he might miss his chance at happiness. I don’t know if he can understand this, but when he wakes up, I’ll do my best to make him feel better.

§ § § § § §

The other animals from the show seem quite at home with our new life. The donkey is allowed to roam about freely during the day, and he enjoys picking and eating at grasses, leaves, and small bushes. There aren’t a lot of large plants here, as we live in a desert environment, but there is enough to munch on and stay busy throughout the day.

The gray wolf, Montana, whom Jonathan had used in the educational wildlife theme park along with the rest of us, is now joined by several other young wolves that have been rescued and brought to our sanctuary. Because of his age, size, and strength, I’m sure he’ll be the wolf in charge or, as they say, the “alpha.” Good for you, Montana! Finally, this dark-furred wolf can live a more natural life, because it’s not in a wolf’s nature to live alone and, like the lion, in the wild, wolves rely on the whole group to find food and keep the pack safe and growing. When the sun disappears each night, they begin to howl, and it sounds almost like a song—each wolf is in tune with the other members of the pack. Hope says she finds it quite lovely. I must agree, but it’s very loud indeed.

It’s been a long and slightly chaotic week, but I can’t wait to see what another day brings.