– First of all, I'm not a cashier, but an administrator number forty-seven, – the smiling man replied. – Secondly, the zoo is really closed to the public. And, thirdly, people stand in line to take some animal for a while.
– How's that for a while? – dad asked.
– Until the evening, – the administrator replied.
– Why? – dad asked.
– To communicate, – answered the administrator. – You came here to communicate, haven't you?
– In principle, yes, – agreed dad.
– Well, – said the administrator, – Take it and communicate! Today is our open day.
– What is your open day if the zoo is closed? – dad asked.
– But the doors are open for animals? – said the administrator. – So today we have a day, so to speak, of open animals. And you can take them for communication.
– But I can't take everyone with me, – dad said, frightened.
– Nobody will give you all, – the administrator grinned.
– And who decided to give the animals for a walk? – dad asked.
– Direktor of the zoo, – answered the administrator.
– And why? – dad tried to find out.
– Let me lock you up in a cage? – suggested administrator number forty-seven. – Then you will understand why. The animals began to feel sad – they want to be free, at least on weekends.
– And how much does it cost to walk with any of them? – dad asked.
– Not at all! – the administrator solemnly announced.
– Can I take a walk for nothing? – dad did not believe.
– Exactly, – confirmed the administrator. – The only condition is that you have to feed your pet lunch, exactly on schedule.
– Well, that’s logical, – dad agreed. – Тhey shouldn't go hungry.
– Who do you want? – dad asked Misha.
– Elephant, – answered the son.
– May I have an elephant? – dad asked the administrator.
– No problem, – the administrator replied. – There is an Indian elephant named Terimerisund.
– What kind of name is Terimerisund? – dad was indignant.
– It translates from Hindi as Crooked Trunk, – the administrator replied. – It's an Indian elephant.
– Do you have elephants with straight trunks? – dad asked.
– With direct all sorted out, – answered the administrator.
– With a crooked trunk will we take? – dad asked Misha.
Misha shrugged his shoulders in response.
– Okay! – dad said. – Give us a crooked!
– He's not crooked, – offended the administrator. – He has both eyes and he walks straight. Only the trunk is slightly bent in the wrong direction.