Going to the Franklin Park Zoo – well before the children’s zoo was completed (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin_Park_Zoo ) with Michelle, my mom, and Vera. I think – This might’ve been before my brother or Kevin was born – That’d put me at maybe 3 years old (so, 1971-ish), or thereabouts. I was walking, Michelle was in a stroller. Even then I liked the monkeys. I can remember a lot of spotty things – I had a red, yellow and blue striped shirt that reminded me a bit of Ernie’s. (see also – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bert_and_Ernie ) Had a vanilla soft-derve cone that dripped all over the ground.. more probably melted than I ate, but my hands were sticky enough that I had to wash ’em in the water fountain (folks in Massachusetts call ’em bubblers.) (again, see also – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubbler )

Michelle was very well behaved, but was afraid of the bigger critters, like the giraffes. Both Vera and my mom smoked cigarettes – Virginia Slims, I think. I didn’t like smoking even then – ash flew everywhere, sitting in the back seat while folks smoked up front was no fun, and the smoke stunk even to my 3-year-old sensibilities.

Sad to think that both Vera and Michelle are gone now – Michelle passed away years ago, and her mom left this world in the last month.