This adventure actually happened in the Lincoln Park Zoo in downtown Chicago. I had always heard about this zoo so one day I braved the traffic and went. I had walked around and was kind of disappointed in what I had seen, I had seen some animal I had never encountered before (koala, javelina, and some of the small Primates), but all in all…..I would not recommend it……UNTIL…..I got to the ape house.

 The ape house was set up in a circle with it being divided into 4 parts. The first part house the chimps, and the second the swingers called gibbons and the third part the “o‘tangs”, and that left the last part for the gorillas. The chimps were all lazy. The swingers were playing chase. The tangs were even lazier than the chimps (although I have never seen an active one except in the movies.). I peered around the corner into the gorilla pen all, behind thick glass.

The area around the gorilla cage was crowded so I just stood where I was and watched a while. A baby gorilla was playing with a little girl with the glass between them and this was why there were so many people there. The adults were laying toward the back side of the pen lounging and people watching (one of my favorite pastimes). When the baby gorilla went back to mom the crowd thinned out.

I stepped into view of the gorillas. When I did the big silverback jumped to his feet and intently had his eye on me. I stepped back around the corner and he sat down. I came back out front and again he jumped to his feet. It definitely was me that was his point of interest. I walked back and forth in front of the glass and he followed my every move. I went up to the second level and he still was focused on me. I came back down and stood in the back ground of the crowd, but you could see he still was watching me.

My interest was piqued as to why I was the center of his attention. I tried to hide in the small crowd that remained but he still watched me. I finally went up front and center of the pen and stood very close to the glass. That big silverback stood up on his feet and let out a roar and beat his chest ( just like in the Tarzan movies…..I’m dating myself). He shook his head and charged me at the glass. At the very last second he turned and with both of his feet, hit the glass where my stomach was. The thump was so loud. People screamed. And then questioned why he had done this. I was then really interested why he had singled me out and charged me.

By this time one of the ape house staff members came running and came straight up to me. She very kindly asked me to leave. She and I walked out and I asked her why?

Her reply, “ Sir, it is what you are wearing. For some reason that silverback does not like camo’s. We have no idea what has happened in his early life but when someone in camo’s walks through, he gets belligerent.”

Now that I could understand, and I was happy for that 2 inch piece of glass.