For some reason, that little voice inside my head reminded me of a situation that might make for a good Friday Follies piece. Yes, I was reminded of Pete the Python, a serpentine escape artist from my youth. Of course, I could not remember exactly when old Pete pulled his disappearing act, so I ran a search that introduced the kitty to me.
Well, it’s not really a kitty, more of a leopard, but not a dangerous Leopard, per the Dallas Zoo. With that said, the Clouded Leopard story is just an amusing reminder that wild animals can sometimes be smarter than their keepers.
For the moment, let’s return to Pete. Pete decided he needed to slip out of the Fort Worth Zoo for a few nights on the town 68 years ago. He liked it so much that he stayed out on his own for a couple of weeks before he was rounded up by the fellow who loaned him to the zoo. The round-up was not simple, and according to the news folks, he was caught in a “Grim Pre-Dawn Struggle.”
Yes, the reptile known in headlines as a “Mankilling Giant Python” was taken into custody when he slithered a little too close to his old slinking grounds at the zoo.
I was only a young pup in those days, but I was all over the Pete story. My dad was a reporter for a local television channel and covered Pete’s little adventure. I was kept up to date daily with a personal news report.
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@jacksonseric
*Friday Follies is a series dedicated to the follies we run into or create. One day they may have their own page; until then, I throw them in when something catches my eye.
