Midweek Funny - Pink Butts

Last summer was the summer of “pink butts” for us. One of my daughter’s best friends had visited the zoo and discovered the lovely pink bottoms of the baboon. She had come home and immediately began talking about their “pink butts” and then making a correlation between those of the baboon and her own little pink bottom. Her bottom affectionately took on its own identity as “my little pink butt,” We all got a chuckle out of it until finally her Mother declared that “pink butts” should no longer be a topic of conversation. It still occasionally crept in with the adults displaying that funny expression that ensues when you are trying to remain serious as you scold the children for saying “pink butt” while inside you are roaring with laughter.

Last week, during the heat wave that overtook Denver, we accompanied our friends to the zoo. It was not only a holiday but also “free day” and that combined with the 70 degree weather meant that everyone from Denver to Boulder and Colorado Springs was visiting the zoo. As we became a part of the human wave that flowed from animal to animal we finally came to the baboon area. Immediately, our adorable children began chanting “pink butt, pink butt.” My friend and I turned away for a second to hide our chuckling only to turn back around to see our “little pink butt angel” pressing her naked little pink bottom up to the glass of the baboon viewing area in an attempt to engage the baboon in a game of “I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.” She was positioned in complete mooning stance while my daughter stood seriously taking it all in beside her. “Pull your panties up right now” echoed throughout the area. The child innocently turned to her mother not fully comprehending the deed that had led to such a prompt reprimand.

As the seconds ticked away like hours, I glanced into the habitat to catch a glimpse of the baboon. I swear I saw him stick his gloriously large pink bottom up in the air in response to the scene before him and sashay away in a very arrogant manner that screamed “take a hike.” I probably just imagined that, but at that moment I wished that monkeys were a bit more like humans so that we could get his reaction.

With this whole episode, monkey see, monkey do took on a whole new meaning for us.