Page 147 of Just for the Cameras
“Maple, just the person I was looking for. Wanted to get your reaction.”
“My reaction to what?” I ask as he holds his phone up to me and acts like he’s recording.
“Gretchen is going to love this. Go ahead, look.”
He nods toward the right. Thoroughly confused, I turn toward the flamingo exhibit, then gasp as I take in the wall that has separated the guests from the flamingos for so many years.
The wall that’s been an eyesore.
The wall that has hurt my heart every time I see people walk right by it as if they can’t be bothered to catch a glimpse of the flamingos.
But now, the chicken wire doesn’t even seem like it’s there, and the wall is covered in bright, almost fluorescent colors, flamingos everywhere in multiple colors, not just pink, but green and blue and yellow. Text boxes pop out with cute statements like “I love flamingos” and “Save the flamingos” and…
Oh my God.
On the farthest end of the wall, where one of my fellow zookeepers is already taking a picture, is the phrase “Single and ready to flamingo.”
There’s no way.
No.
He didn’t do this.
Did he?
Does he even know how to paint? Did he hire someone?
Wait, no, he wouldn’t do this, right? He was…he was so rude, dismissive, would he really do something as kind…as wonderful as this?
“What do you think?” Phil asks as tears start to prick at my eyes.
“I…I love it so much,” I say as I walk up to the wall and take in the simple yet fun design, my mind whirling with what this will do and how this will help. I can see it already. The families who’ll want to take pictures in front of it, who will come to the flamingos just to see the mural once I post about it.
This is…this is a game changer.
“This is so incredible.” I run my finger over the wall. “How? Who did this?”
“A friend to the flamingos,” Phil says as he lowers his phone. “Glad you like it. I believe the person has to finish up the left side, but for the most part, it’s done. And do you like how they made the chicken wire almost seem like it’s disappeared?”
“Yes,” I say as I run my fingers over the black-painted wire. “This is…this is so amazing.” I turn to Phil and hand him my phone. “Can you take a picture of me in front of it?”
“Of course,” he says with a smile.
I pose in front of the wall, and he snaps a few pictures before he hands me my phone back.
He takes off, talking about how great the wall is, all while I stand there and stare for a few moments, taking in every stroke, every little detail.
And that’s when some things start to fall into place.
A flamingo in a yellow dress.
A flamingo eating tacos.
A flamingo wearing a football helmet.
A flamingo holding up a phone with his wing, taking a selfie.
It’s subtle, but it seems like they’re all hints.
