Meet Me At The Zoo

John Carter, while he was in Chicago on business seen that there was some tickets on sale at a good price for the Chicago Zoo. He decided to get some for his family to have a little vacation. He also thought it would be nice to get the Wilder's some tickets too.

When John Carter arrives back home in Walnut Grove he tells his family, ''We are going to the Chicago Zoo next week and I also have tickets for the Wilder's." The Carter family is all excited about going to the zoo.

After supper John Carter goes over to the Wilder's boarding house and asks them if they would like to go to the Chicago Zoo with them next week. Laura Wilder answers the door with Almanzo, Jenny and Rose behind her. Rose with great excitement asks, "Ma, Can we please?"

Both Laura and Almanzo pats their little 6 year old Rose on the head and Almanzo picks her up and says, "Sure we can."

Laura says to John Carter, ''We would love to join you." '

''Great!" Mr. Carter says, ''We will leave bright and early Monday morning."

Almanzo and Laura, Jenny and Rose Wilder along with John and Sarah, Jason and Jeb Carter head off to Chicago for the Zoo. About 10pm they stop and campout for the evening and in the morning when they wake up they find that their wagons have been intruded upon by some kind of animal.

Almanzo and John look around to see if they notice anything around them but don't.

While they are cleaning up the mess Almanzo is bending over to pick up things then all of a sudden he gets 'butted' and falls over Almanzo gets up and says, "What in the world?" He turns around and sees a goat.

Laura starts laughing and says, ''That has to be 'Fred, The Friendly Goat!'"

Almanzo asks, "Fred the Friendly Goat? He doesn't seem so friendly to me."

They have their breakfast and head off the rest of the way to Chicago and while they're driving Laura tells Almanzo, Jenny and Rose and all the Carters about 'Fred the Friendly Goat' how she got him from a man as payment for some work she did but he 'butted' everyone in town including Rev. Alden and he also got drunk from Mr. Edwards, 'Thinking Place' (drinking place). They all laughed at her story especially when Laura told them 'Fred' 'butted' Harriet Olsen.

Jenny looks behind the wagon and sees that Fred is following them and says, "Uncle Almanzo look, Fred is following us!"

Almanzo answers, ''Oh, I'm sure sure he will go his way before we get to the city."

They arrive in Chicago and park their wagons and head to the Zoo entrance and to their surprise Charles and Caroline along with Albert, Carrie, Grace, Ingalls, James and Cassandra Cooper are also there.

Laura yells out, "Ma, Pa"

Charles and Caroline look around and in surprise asks Laura, "What in the world are you doing here?"

Hugs all around and Laura answering, "John Carter got some good deals on tickets."

Caroline replies, "So did Charles. We are glad we saw you now we can walk around together."

As they are walking into the Zoo Albert suggests, "There is a lot of us, maybe we should split up and meet back together for lunch at 12 noon."

Charles and Caroline, Laura and Almanzo, John and Sarah take Grace and Rose with them since they are the youngest.

Albert, Jason, Jeb, James, Cassandra, Jenny and Carrie goes off together.

While Charles and Caroline, Laura and Almanzo, John and Sarah, Grace and Rose are walking around looking at the animals they come across an Orangutan. Charles says to Grace, "Look isn't it cute?"

Grace nods her head, "Yes," As she pets the Orangutan on the head.

Laura than says, "Almanzo, that's 'Blanche', remember Blanche?"

Almanzo answers, "Yes, I do."

Charles asks, "Blanche?"

Laura responds, "Yes, Pa, after you moved to Iowa Mr. Edwards had this Orangutan for awhile then me and Almanzo had him at our house and he saved Rose from a fire and our house too. Then the Chicago Zoo took him when Nancy complained about him.

''Oh, Wow," Charles responds and then says with a grin, "It's just like Nancy to complain."

Then Charles pets the Orangutan and then the Orangutan puts his hands through the gate and grabs Charles' face and kisses him.

The Zookeeper Mr Paine is behind them and he says to Laura and Almanzo, ''I remember you, you are the ones who was keeping Blanche when I picked her up in Walnut Grove. Would you like to walk her around the Zoo some?"

''Oh yes that would be fun?" Laura answers.

Meanwhile Albert, Jason Jeb, James Cassandra and Carrie are also walking around looking at the animals and as Albert is bending down to pet a bear cub something from behind him 'butts' him and he falls over. No one sees what it was but they all begin to laugh at Albert.

Could it be 'FRED?'

Albert gets up, dusts himself off and says, "STOP laughing at me! Who kicked me?"

They all answer, ''We don't know, Albert."

Albert replies, ''I know one of you are lying, but don't let it happen again!"

All five of them look at Albert and says, ''It wasn't any of us."

"No harm done,'' Albert replies and then says, ''We need to get back to the others for lunch."

Rose and Grace, Laura and Almanzo, Charles and Caroline, John and Sarah all meet their other children at a hotdog stand and have hotdogs. After they eat all the children are playing with Blanche the Orangutan.

As the kids are playing with Blanche all the adults are cleaning up the table where they were eating. Charles drops his cup and bends down to pick it up then he gets 'butted.' When Charles gets up 'Fred' is there looking at him. Charles asks, "Where did this goat come from?"

Laura smiles and laughs and than answers, ''Pa that is Fred, We come across him on the way here and he must have followed us. Do you remember, 'Friendly Fred'?"

''Oh, Do I Ever!" Charles replies.

Laura laughs again.

Just then the Zoo keeper, Mr. Paine walks up to them and asks, What's going on here and what is this goat doing here?"

Laura answers, ''It followed us on the way here."

Mr. Paine says I will have to cage it and I will also take Blanche back to her cage now."

Laura answers, "Ok, Thank you for letting us walk around with her for a bit. We do need to get back to Walnut Grove."

Charles says we also need to get back to Iowa.

They all say their "goodbyes"

The Zoo keeper takes Blanche back to her cage (and what a special person she is).

The Zoo keeper also finds a place for 'Fred' who wounds up staying at the Zoo... (BUTT)

The End...