The next day, Monk and Sharona asked Benjy if he wanted to come to the zoo with them. Of course Benjy said yes and they were on their way.

"Now Benjy, remember Mr. Monk and me…I mean your father and I" With this Sharona turned and smiled at her new husband. Monk returned the smile and Sharona went on. "This is going to be work for us so we might not be able to see ALL the exhibits. Ok?"

"Ok," Benjy replied, looking out the car window.

"Oh, and Benjy…"

"Yeah, mom?"

"Be on your best behavior," she said.

"BENJY! That is NOT your best behavior! Now take those straws out of your nose!" Sharona said with a sharp tone.

"Sorry," Benjy said as he obeyed his mother.

"Adrian, are you sure you don't want some of my fries?" Sharona said offering her fries to Monk.

Monk shook his head violently. "N-n-no thank you. I don't want any… "Cafeteria food"" Monk said, scrunching up his nose.

"Oh, come on honey. You have to eat something. Why didn't you eat before we came?"

"I was…busy"

"Busy with what?" His wife pressed.

"Vacuuming." Monk replied.

"You didn't eat cuz you were vacuuming?"

"Well…yeah."

"Adrian I swear sometimes you're just so…" Sharona said getting frustrated.

Monk looked down at his feet. He looked hurt. He never liked hearing her mad at him.

Sharona noticed his expression.

"You know what? Just forget it." She said scooting her chair around the table, placing an arm over his shoulder and giving him a kiss.

"Thank you." He said feeling a lot better.

Monk looked around him. He never really liked cafeterias and the cafeteria at the zoo was no better then he expected. The tabletops were sticky, there was gum under the seats, the floor resembled a movie theater's floor (as sticky as the tables) and it had the greasiest, most foul looking food Monk had ever seen.

The only thing about it that Monk liked was the interesting way they decorated it. On the walls it was painted to look like one was in the rain forest, with trees, birds, plants, waterfalls, vines, bugs and even a wild animal here and there.

"Monk," Sharona said bringing Monk back from his viewing of the walls. "C'mon lets go."

Monk got up and followed Sharona and Benjy out the door.

"Hey Mom, let's go to the petting zoo first." Benjy said as they exited the cafeteria.

"P-petting zoo?" Monk said with a look of terror on his face.

"Yeah, it's this place where you can pet the-"

"I know what it is Sharona…I just don't like the idea of going there. I mean…petting animals? That's disgusting! Do you have any idea what kinds of germs are on those things? I mean it's like a grocery store for germs! And petting zoos normally have farm animals and that's the worst kind. I mean they've got pigs and cows and goats and they've got chi- "

"Dad, Dad, you're blabbering." Benjy said calming his Dad down.

"If it will make you feel any better, you don't have to pet any of the animals," Sharona said.

"It doesn't make me feel any better. I-don't-want-to-go."

Sharona pulls Monk to the side. "Look at your sons face, See the face?" Monk did as she said and looked at his son as Benjy gave him a begging, "puppy dog face". "He wants to go to the petting zoo, so I think we should. Because believe it or not, Adrian, the world doesn't always revolve around you."

"Well, can we make it revolve around me this time?"

Sharona looks at him dumbfounded then picks up her purse and hits him on the shoulder. "I got a divorce before and I'm not afraid to get another one."

"OK! Who's up for the petting zoo!" Monk says in an overly sarcastic manner.

Outside of the petting zoo there was a man giving away little baggies of food that you could feed to the animals. The man with the baggies started to talk with Sharona.

'Does he really have to be standing that close. He's being a little too friendly in my book. I mean, can't he see the ring on her finger? I hate to say it but Sharona really has a knack for attracting dimwits…that is…before me.' Adrian thought to himself, as he got closer to his wife and the 'dimwit'.

"…And I said, 'What do you mean you aren't my mother?'" The 'dimwit' man said as he laughed at his own joke. "So, is this your first time to the petting zoo?"

"Ahh no I've been here many times."

"Oh really you would think I would recognize someone so stunning. I mean I'll bet you turn tons of guys heads, don't you?"

"Mostly mine." Adrian said walking up and joining the conversation.

"Hey buddy I found this pretty little thing first so…go get your own."

"I already have." Monk said pulling Sharona to his side.

"Hey slick, can't you see I'm workin' here?" The jerk said in low tones that both Sharona and Monk picked up on.

"Um," Sharona said clearing her throat "I'd like you to meet my husband. Adrian Monk."

"Adrian Monk?" The man said as he burst into hysterical laughter.

"Yes you see he's my husband. We just got married. So I could become his wife and, ya know, so he could become my husband ."

"Well we need to get going so if you don't mind I'll be taking my son and wife with me now. Nice uh…yeah bye." Monk said pulling Bengy and Sharona towards the entrance of the petting zoo.

While Benjy was petting the animals Sharona and Adrian were walking hand in hand slowly behind him. Sharona began to question Adrian. "Ok, so remind me what we're doing here again?"

Adrian sighed heavily and then began, "Well, at the meeting with Stottlemeyer which you slept soundly through I might add, he said that a special silver polar bear of some kind mysteriously disappeared from this zoo a couple of nights ago-"

"Wait, if we're homicide detectives why were we called in for a missing polar bear?"

"Well, that's when you fell asleep…and I didn't have the heart to wake you"

"Aww you're such a good husband." Sharona said with a pat on the back.

Adrian smiled and went on. "As I was saying. He said that shortly after the polar bear went missing, a body turned up at the zoo. And that's why we're here."

Just then a white drop fell from the sky and landed on the clean shoulder of Monk's jacket. Sharona tried not to laugh as they stopped and Monk slowly looked over at his shoulder. Sharona just looked at her husband. His fingers stood on end, his face was scrunched up and he was holding his breathe. He stood firmly on the ground as he waved his hand and said, "Wipe! Wipe!" Sharona tried to hurry but laughing really made it hard.

"Hey mom, look. They are giving tours around the zoo. Maybe we could get on one." Bengy said pointing to a sign.

Monk, Sharona and Benjy walked towards the information stand.

"Um, yes. Hi, I was wondering what time the tours are given around the zoo?"

"Noon" The woman behind the counter said.

Sharona turned to Monk and Benjy and said, "That's in 8 minutes…you wanna go?"

"Yeah, maybe now we can find out what happened here." Monk said.