1) The narrator describes a trip to the zoo as a four-year-old child, excited to see the animals he had seen on television. 2) At the tiger exhibit, the narrator gets too close to the fence and a tiger grabs him by the legs, starting a game of tug-of-war between the tiger and the narrator's father. 3) With the help of other visitors, the narrator's father is able to pull him to safety, though the narrator remains calm throughout the ordeal.

1. Leavell Smith
English 1101
Mr. Smoak
Sept. 10 2013
“Way Too Close”
I waited with excitement, right in front of the entrance, as my parents purchased the
tickets. The sign was huge, I did not understand any of the other words, being that they were in
German. I could understand when German was spoken, but I could not read it. But “Zoo” there
was no need for translation, I had seen the word a million times on tv. In my mind, it took an
eternity to coerce my parents into bringing me, though me being four years old may have played
a large role in my impatience. Finally I was here, at the zoo.
There were so many people, many of which were there with their families. I found myself
trying to see and listen to everything and everyone. Kids were running around with balloons,
toys, and hats shaped like the many different animals on exhibit. Two little girls came skipping
pass, “1, and 2, and 3…” they said joyfully, as if they were counting every step.
“Leavell,” my mother called.
“Leavell, are you coming with us or are you staying here? Don’t you want to see
everything,” she asked, in an effort to snap me from my hypnosis. I quickly followed.
“What do you want to see first?” She Asked.
“The tigers!” I replied.
She looked at me and smirked, as if to condone the excitement which seemed to be
bubbling to the surface without me saying a word.

2. We made our way through the zoo, on the double decker bus, stopping to observe each
animal on exhibit. We saw the otters, peacocks, crocodiles, pandas. I was in heaven, nothing
could have made this better, the animals were just like the ones I had seen on National
Geographic, until we reached the tigers. Huge teeth, orange with black stripes, big white paws,
this was my favorite animal. The tiger passed back and forth right in front of me and the other
people watching in awe. Oh how I love tigers, I thought to myself. I got all the way up to the
cage, which was only a tall wire fence.
“Son you’re too close, step back a little, unless you’d like to be dinner,” my father said
jokingly. I backed up just as he had suggested.
A little girl conversed with her grandfather:
“He’s big,” she stated as she pointed at the male of the two tigers.
“He sure is, I wonder what his name is,” her grandfather replied. She paused and sat
down in her stroller, with a look of deep contemplation.
“JIM!” She yelled out seconds later. As if to tell the tiger his new name.
Her grandfather chuckled as they strolled around the bushes, too far for me to hear
anymore. I have to admit, I thought Jim was a silly name for a tiger. Though I kept that thought
to myself.
We got back on the bus and headed to the African exhibits. As we made our way around,
I looked to the left and there was a giraffe crossing the dirt road, he walked right up on the bus.
The driver stopped reached in a large bag next to him and pulled out branches of leaves to feed
the giraffe. I thought that was the coolest thing ever, jumping up and down, pointing and patting
my father as if he were not seeing the same thing.
The bus stopped, the doors opened, and the crowd of passengers rushed off. In front of us

3. were three exhibits zebras, lions, and elephants, the last stop before the gift store. I went to the
elephants. Larger than anything I could have imagined, dark wrinkled grey skin, huge feet, a
long trunk, and big flapping ears with large veins that looked like estuaries on a map. I just
watched in amazement as it reached into the tall trees, with its strong trunk, to eat. Once again I
got as close as the fence would allow.
I turned to my parents who were looking at the zebra exhibit behind me, and before I
could let out a sound I was off the ground. The same elephant that I had just watched eating
leaves now had his trunk wrapped around both my legs. My father grabbed my right arm and the
game of tug-of-war commenced.
"Noooo!" Screamed a woman in the crowd. I still do not know whether the woman's
voice was my mother or not.
My father, who by this time had both of my wrist in his hands, struggled to keep me on
the "right side” of the fence. My feet by now were higher than my head as I went back and forth
between the two. I must have been in shock because my parents said I did not cry during all this.
It wasn't until other people joined in on the dangerous game that a winner was decided, landing
into my father’s lap as we all fell. I wondered whether they, "won," or the elephant loss interest.
All the onlookers, high fived the men who helped. I believe there may have even been a few
cheers. Others asked whether everyone was ok. I was not injured in any way, just kind of
relieved to be on the “right side” of the fence. My father picked me up beginning to see if I was
ok, as he patted me on the head. My mother interrupted, hugging and dusting me off. She picked
me up and took me back aboard the bus.“Your Dad told you not to get so close,” she scolded as
she checked for bruises.
“Now I know why.”