Zippy Goes to Central Park.
(originally posted 20 June 2010)
“Our time together is ending,” I said to Zippy. “Other people want the chance to meet you and show you around.”
“Where shall we go for our final hurrah?” Zippy asked, unfolding the subway map.
“Let’s go to Central Park,” I said. “It’s one of my favorite places in all of New York. I can’t show you the whole thing, but we can visit some beautiful landmarks.”
“You won’t force me to run the 6-mile loop around the park, correct?” Zippy suspiciously asked.
“No,” I said, smiling. “But I’d be mighty impressed if you ever decide to take on the couch to 5K plan. I think your owner, Doc Rob, is doing just that. I’m pretty sure you’d be the first lobster to run a 5K.”
“Running is for vertebrates,” Zippy opined. “I just don’t have the backbone to do it.”
“That is Bethesda Terrace,” I said. “This is one of the grandest locations in the entire park.”
Zippy and I walked down the sweeping staircase…
… and admired the large fountain in the center of the courtyard.
After I had taken this photograph of Zippy, a trio of tourists asked me to take a photo of them. One of them handed me a camera and, noticing that I went to retrieve Zippy, she asked, “Did you just take a photograph of that lobster?”
“Yes,” I said.
All three of them started giggling. While dangling from my wrist, Zippy rolled his eyes.
“As if people have never seen a lobster in Central Park before,” he muttered.
After the tourists left, we looked across the water at the Boathouse.
“That’s a place where people can rent rowboats and paddle around the lake,” I said. “It’s also a restaurant. People hold fancy functions there.”
“I don’t need a boat,” Zippy countered. “I have my own swimmerets. Such is the advantage of being a crustacean.”
We walked along a paved path, past many park benches with leafy trees overhead, and into a clearing.
“This,” I said, “is the Bow Bridge.”
“Romance blooms here,” Zippy said.
We walked further along the path and scrambled down onto a large rock by the water.
“Why are you taking a photograph of that?” Zippy asked when he heard the shutter click.
“That’s the Balcony Bridge,” I said. “I’ve run over that bridge many times. That’s also where The Beau proposed marriage to me.”
“Bah, marriage,” Zippy sourly said. “Monogamy is overrated. Humans are much more sentimental than lobsters. We lobsters mate with as many lady lobsters we can find. Did I ever tell you that I’m an alpha male lobster? Before I came here—”
“Maybe I should have lobster for dinner tonight,” I interrupted.
“—but I’ve learned that there is value to committed relationships,” Zippy hastily added.
“Have people donated money towards my cause?” Zippy asked as we walked claw and hand through the park. Taxis were rushing past on the street; tourists with large cameras dangling around their necks strolled past; the ice cream stands were already attracting business.
“Yes,” I said, pleased. “Several people have been following your adventures here in New York and they have contributed to your fund!”
“Delightful!” Zippy said. “That people are willing to extend themselves to contribute to the Childhood Brain Tumor Foundation is humbling. What people will do for a lobster continues to impress me. I can hardly imagine the possibilities!”
“But let’s keep imagining, Zippy,” I said. “Let’s keep imagining.”
Zippy will be leaving me very soon so Margaret Polaneczky at The Blog That Ate Manhattan may host him. Many thanks to those readers who have already contributed to Zippy’s cause—you raised $175 to the Childhood Brain Tumor Foundation. Can we break $225? That would bring a thrill to both Zippy and me. Please donate. And thanks for reading.
Filed under: Being a Lobster, Fun, NYC, Travel
