The other day was bath day here at Animal Rentals, and I got some great pictures of my dad and my uncle, Mr. Adam Monk. I love seeing the two of them together, and dad loves reminiscing with Uncle Monk about “the old days”. Uncle Monk is over 45 years old! And he and dad have been together a REALLY long time…working, traveling and playing. Uncle Monk doesn’t travel with us doing Animal Shows or College Entertainment any more, he says his days of being on the road are done and he just wants to relax and enjoy his retirement. I LOVE traveling and don’t think I will EVER want to retire! But Uncle Monk and I are completely different.
I guess Uncle Monk is really more of my brother than actually an uncle, since he was dad’s first monkey son. But he is old and sort of crotchety – which dad tells me is a nicer way of saying cranky, lol – and certainly more like an uncle than a brother. So he is Uncle Monk to me.
Uncle Monk has had an amazing life – even before he met dad. He was born in the wild in the jungles of South America, and he was captured and kidnapped and SOLD when he was very young! He traveled from village to village in small, bamboo cages being sold and traded until he finally came to America and met dad. Dad likes to say that it was NOT love at first sight – lol. But he and Uncle Monk grew to first respect then love each other, and together they built Animal Rentals from a highly demanded Organ Grinder act to a business that focuses on bringing people and exotic animals together in an educational and entertaining way. I even think that it was Uncle Monk’s idea to do our Petting Zoos and Pony Rides. At least, HE says it was. Dad just rolls his eyes and laughs whenever I ask him about it.
Anyway, I guess after such a long life filled with work and adventure Uncle Monk deserves to relax and be pampered in his retirement. And he sure does love his bath time! I don’t blame him, I do too! What about you? Do you love bath time too?
