Addax You What That Is

An Addax

During our staycation a couple of weeks ago, Dan and I took our Leatherkids to the zoo.  Anyone who lives in the Chicagoland area might remember that this was the ONLY week of the summer when temperatures were so high it was almost too hot to be outside for any amount of time.  But we went as promised.  There was a dinosaur exhibit that we really wanted to see, plus, well, it's a zoo -- kids love zoos.

So after the dolphin show that didn't impress the Leatherkids, the dinosaur exhibit which terrified Ella, the sleeping lions, some missing rhinos and several fights with Cal about NOT playing on the playground after we paid money to get into the zoo, we found ourselves making our way over to see the wolves, a specific request made by Cal.  To get there, we passed the giraffes, the zebras and a few of a somewhat familiar-looking animal but not one that we knew -- the addax.

Cal and I had this conversation in front of the addax:

Cal: “It’s a gazelle.”

I thought it’s not a gazelle... I don't think it is anyway... but what is it... and how does he know what a gazelle is?  I consulted the sign describing it as a type of antelope and said, “It’s an addax.”

Cal: “What’s an addax?”

Me: “That.”

Cal: “What is it?”

Me: “An addax.”

Cal (getting frustrated): “What’s an addax?”

Me: “That’s an addax!”

Cal: “What?”

Me: “That!  It’s a white animal that looks like a gazelle that has screwy, long horns.”

And that was the end of it.  It was a real Who's on First kind of bit, totally unplanned.  We then proceeded to make our way to the wolves... or, as it turns out, the wolf and said nothing more of the addax.