Skippy and Mates

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Generally animals just go about their business around me. They seem to know I am an animal lover and no threat but occasionally there is a rogue... My parents took me to a wildlife animal park where you can walk amongst the emus and kangaroos and buy little bags of grass pellets to feed them. Sounds very cute, doesn't it. There was a sign that said something like "Don't approach the large male kangaroo in the red collar as he is known to attack". My parents poked me and made sure I knew to keep away from him. I KEPT right away from him - but noone had given HIM that lecture about me. I was bending over patting this nice, calm kangaroo - when there was a tug on my dangling arm, I turned around and the big, damn kangaroo with the red collar had his arms crossed over each other, wrapped firmly around the leather cord attached to my KANGAROO SKIN purse. We did that to our coat of arms animals in the 1970s - turned Skippy into a handbag - but I digress. The strap was still around my wrist. He wouldn’t let go and neither would I. It had my pocket money, hankie and whatever else 9 year old girls carry in their bag and he wasn’t having it. The kangaroo – WAY taller than me - leaned back on his tail a bit and tugged hard and I was pulling back when my parents AND the zoo keeper rushed over, all telling me off, of course. Zoo keeper got my bag back, while my parents did the “We told you not to go near blah blah blah..." Although I got berated and frog-marched to the car by the ear, I don’t blame you Mr huge kangaroo. My bag could have been a relative of yours. I HATE that roo steaks and roasts are on the shelves in every supermarket. I am told it is delicious but I am NOT eating Skippy EVER. Our Army actually uses wild kangaroos as target practice from helicopters – AND wild horses in the Snowy Mountains. So cruel. The horses have been there for generations but “greenies” say they are destroying the habitat… Sometimes I despair for “Humanity”. Anyway, you are safe from my diet, Skippy and Bambi – but look out Porky Pig. You are irresistible.