CUDDLING PARAKEETS KISSING GIRAFFES AND RAINING CHIMPANZEES
JUNE 26, 1943
They had just celebrated Will's first birthday and the following Saturday the Gilligan's went to the Philadelphia Zoo.
Bridget just loved all the birds. She danced along with the macaws and imitated the penguins.
They all went into the pen for feeding the parakeets and all got little cups of seeds to feed them with.
Patrick, Ellen, Bridget, and Danny only had a few parakeets feed from them but Willie was surrounded by several parakeets.
"Yay birdie!" Willie exclaimed.
"Awwwwe!" Everyone in the pen replied.
A parakeet landed on Willie's shoulder and cuddled his neck. Another parakeet landed on his wrist. He brought it close to his face and kissed it. After fifteen minutes the birds finished the seed and gradually flew away.
"Bye-bye birdie!" Willie called after them waving.
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They visited the giraffes pen last. There were two adults and one baby. One of the adults came up close to the fence to pick at the leaves of a nearby tree. Ellen held Willie up above her shoulders for a closer look.
The giraffe extended her neck over the fence and gave Willie a kiss on the nose. Ellen gasps as the giraffe rises back up and continues to feed on the tree.
"Yay, again," Willie replied laughing and clapping his hands while everyone laughed.
"Oh no that's enough giraffe kissing for one day," Ellen replies putting Will back in his carriage and they all headed out of the zoo.
MAY 14, 1956
Will's 8th grade science class was at the Philadelphia Zoo to work on a project for class. Since Will was President of the Camera Club he was in charge of taking the pictures. Ellen went along to help their teacher, Mrs. McPherson chaperone. It was mid-afternoon when they stopped at the chimpanzee enclosure.
The enclosure was a big grassy island with a jungle gym, fake termite mounds to play on, several huge trees and a couple of rocky caves. The island was surrounded by a six foot deep moat and a grassy area on the other side then the wall going up to a small walkway for the zookeepers then a four foot stone wall and a four foot wooden fence going around the enclosure. At the moment there were seven adult chimps and three very young chimps.
Will took pictures of all the adults and then noticed that all three of the young ones were playing in a tree near the moat. Then one of them lost their footing and fell into the water. Will knew that chimps couldn't swim so he acted on instinct.
"WALTER HOLD THE CAMERA!" Will shouted shoving the camera at Walter and jumping over the fence and wall.
"WILL STOP!" Walter shouted gaining the others' attention.
Meanwhile Will landed on a tree branch and jumped into the water and swam towards the drowning chimp. He reached the chimp grabbed him in one arm and swam back to the island. He grabbed at a patch of grass and hoisted the chimp up onto the bank and with all his might he and the chimp were on the island. The chimp wasn't moving as Will patted him on the back but then opened his eyes. He got up and shook off some of the water. Will smiled as he heard the other chimps approach. He didn't move as the mother chimp walked up to him, put a hand on his head and hooted a thank you then ran back into a cave.
"WILLIAM JOHN GILLIGAN GET OUT OF THERE THIS INSTANT!" He heard his mother shout.
Will smiled as he swam to the other side of the moat, climbed up the tree then hopped onto the sidewalk and jumped over the wall and fence. His mother, Mrs. McPherson, and a zookeeper wrapped him in a blanket. Will was expecting everyone to be mad at him.
"Will that was the craziest thing you have ever done!" Ellen began. "But it was also the bravest. I'm so proud of you!"
"Great job Will!" Everyone said at once.
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