A gorgeous Spring morning, as calm and mildly warm as only Mexico City could have -- that is in the old days, before the polution and overpopulation infested the Capital City --, my Mother decided to spend the placid hours of mid morning in the magnificent Chapultepec Park (formerly Moctezuma gardens).
Maria, my Nanny, placed several blankets on the grass and very carefully placed me over them. I must have resembled a knot from the same blankets on the lawn because, without the benefit of reason nor much movement, I was nothing more than a plain little cacoon who did not do any significant thing. Nevertheless, I was the first born (primogenita), a priviledge that carries in itself quite a few advantages. One of them was to enjoy dauly visits to a pretty park with my equally pretty Mommy, besides being the object of the undivided attention of Mom, Dad and Nanny, plus all my parents friends and relatives.
Mom and Maria sat next to me with their backs against the trunk of a tall and ancient tree. They devoted their time to watch and behold me, for that was their main duty and obligation. Other than that, they talked and laughed, enjoyed the beauty of the place and watched the passerbys along the oathways. No herry, just like in a buccolic or pastoral scene.
All of a sudden, from a branch of the tree, a long-tailed chimpanzee jumped down and grabbed me. As fast as she had arrived, disappeared with her loot into the leafy thickness of the branches up above.
Pandemonium erupted ! Crying and screaming, Mother and Nanny tried unsuccessfully to climb the tree to rescue me. People gathered around them, in awe. They followed every motion of the monkey up the tree. Every head was turned upward, watching, wishing, reporting what they saw and expressing their opinions and suggestions on how to bring "the poor baby" down... Policemen arrived, guards and gardeners came also and they started planning the "operation rescue". Meanwhile, one of the guards went to the Zoo (nearby) and brought a Zoo keeper, who, like the famous Mr. Doolittle (remember the song?) could talk to the animals.
While all these things were happening on the ground, the chimp seemed to feel at home on the tree branches. She kept busy observing the features of her new acquisition and did not pay any attention to the noisy people down the tree, who did not understand monkey business anyway. Very motherly, she placed me between her legs and tenderly scratched my hairless little head, looking for fleas.
Probably the monkey's nails were sharp, because I started to cry. Loud and louder I cried, which annoyed and disturbed my Motherly Chimp. she was visibly upset, not knowing how to deal with such a crybaby. This wasn't fun anymore for her. She started to lose her cool and trying her own screaming with scratchy, awful shrieks. the frustrated adoptive mother, looking up and down, was about to discard her loot when, providentially, the hand of the Zoo keeper seized her tightly. talking softly and calmly, trying to quiet her down.
Many years later, Maria's eyes still get teary every time she recounts the story. According to her, I almost died that day because the monkey's tail was wrapped around my neck and was suffocating me. That's why the poor baby was crying, she said... Could be... Could I have also died if the chimp had dropped me from the high branches of the tree? Well, the Good Lord wanted me here, and here I am ... lovingly.
Maria, my Nanny, placed several blankets on the grass and very carefully placed me over them. I must have resembled a knot from the same blankets on the lawn because, without the benefit of reason nor much movement, I was nothing more than a plain little cacoon who did not do any significant thing. Nevertheless, I was the first born (primogenita), a priviledge that carries in itself quite a few advantages. One of them was to enjoy dauly visits to a pretty park with my equally pretty Mommy, besides being the object of the undivided attention of Mom, Dad and Nanny, plus all my parents friends and relatives.
Mom and Maria sat next to me with their backs against the trunk of a tall and ancient tree. They devoted their time to watch and behold me, for that was their main duty and obligation. Other than that, they talked and laughed, enjoyed the beauty of the place and watched the passerbys along the oathways. No herry, just like in a buccolic or pastoral scene.
All of a sudden, from a branch of the tree, a long-tailed chimpanzee jumped down and grabbed me. As fast as she had arrived, disappeared with her loot into the leafy thickness of the branches up above.
Pandemonium erupted ! Crying and screaming, Mother and Nanny tried unsuccessfully to climb the tree to rescue me. People gathered around them, in awe. They followed every motion of the monkey up the tree. Every head was turned upward, watching, wishing, reporting what they saw and expressing their opinions and suggestions on how to bring "the poor baby" down... Policemen arrived, guards and gardeners came also and they started planning the "operation rescue". Meanwhile, one of the guards went to the Zoo (nearby) and brought a Zoo keeper, who, like the famous Mr. Doolittle (remember the song?) could talk to the animals.
While all these things were happening on the ground, the chimp seemed to feel at home on the tree branches. She kept busy observing the features of her new acquisition and did not pay any attention to the noisy people down the tree, who did not understand monkey business anyway. Very motherly, she placed me between her legs and tenderly scratched my hairless little head, looking for fleas.
Probably the monkey's nails were sharp, because I started to cry. Loud and louder I cried, which annoyed and disturbed my Motherly Chimp. she was visibly upset, not knowing how to deal with such a crybaby. This wasn't fun anymore for her. She started to lose her cool and trying her own screaming with scratchy, awful shrieks. the frustrated adoptive mother, looking up and down, was about to discard her loot when, providentially, the hand of the Zoo keeper seized her tightly. talking softly and calmly, trying to quiet her down.
Many years later, Maria's eyes still get teary every time she recounts the story. According to her, I almost died that day because the monkey's tail was wrapped around my neck and was suffocating me. That's why the poor baby was crying, she said... Could be... Could I have also died if the chimp had dropped me from the high branches of the tree? Well, the Good Lord wanted me here, and here I am ... lovingly.
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