Please–No Vultures!

I’m still recovering from yesterday. I took the kids to the Toddler class at the Audubon Zoo, a kind of science class. They always bring an animal to circle time for the kids to look at and touch. One week it was a turtle, one week a bearded dragon, last week was a possum, and this week, the grand poobah of nasty ass animals–a vulture! What the @&#%&$#? This horrid creature, and I do have great respect for them in the wild, I just don’t want to see them up close as a man feeds him chunks of dead mice and tells us how the vulture crushes the mouse’s skull. To make matters worse, Miss Keitha passed around the vulture’s food bowl, I’m not sure what made her think anybody would want to see what was in it, but sure enough, there was a little mouse body curled up surrounded by red chunks and I though I was going to vomit! As it was, I leaped back and screamed and had to suppress the tears. All the other parents said, “What?” and I had to say, “I have a phobia of dead animals!” It was a great moment. And then some joker of a mother decided she’d be brave and help Henry or Annabelle feed the vile creature. Annabelle refused thank goodness, but little trooper Henry, accepted her offer and now I can’t believe I let his perfect and beautiful little hand hold a chunk of dead mouse out to a damn vulture that was twice his size! I was so traumatized I wasn’t thinking straight. They had already freaked me out by passing around pelts for the kids to feel–a tiger, a wolf, with holes where the wolf’s eyes should be–so gross!! Frankly I’d rather them learn about these animals by seeing them alive and in their natural habitat. Then I had nightmares all night about death. I think we’ll take a break from zoo class for a few weeks. Mama needs a break!