A Love from racing

Part Forty Six

"Mama" Esmaè pointed at the baby giraffe who was being feed by another zoo keeper off to the side. Since she said Mama a few months back she hasn't stopped, but we loved hearing her talk.

We were taking some time out this week before I had to be in Malaysia for the weekend, for the race at the Sepang Circuit. A fast, wide and well built track since it's new laying of tarmac. The new tarmac was smooth with minimal areas that affected grip so you weren't fighting the bike, making it a little less tiring on the body but not by much.

Being home for the start of the week gave me a chance to spend it with my family on a day out, and of course we invited Hanna and a heavily pregnant, ready to pop Ella, to tag along. I think it was also good for them to be around Esmaè right now to ease their worries about parenthood.

We decided on having a day out at the zoo. Alison loved the zoo she was crazy about animals so it was a given. I decided it was best to hire out the zoo for the day so that I wouldn't be stopped for photos, autographs or have my family and friends photographed by eyeing paps that would ruin our day, so hiring it out seemed like the best option to avoid that.

There was however a disabled boy and his family that I was told had driven down to spend his tenth birthday at the zoo. But due to a mix up the zoo had made they had him coming down on the same day I rented it out. They tried turning him and his family away for mine but I told staff to let them stay. It was his birthday and he wanted to spend it here, I couldn't let them turn him away because I had rented the zoo out, that would make me a grade one asshole and I wasn't one. It wouldn't have been in my nature to do so. When I told them that they were staying and that their food, drink and gift shop purchases were on me, the whole family was so happy and appreciative. It was the least I could do to make his day special again after being told no when he got here.

"I know, she's very tall isn't she Es?" Alison said as she stood next to us with the stroller as I held Esmaè watching the another keeper feed the tall baby.

"We can't let you feed the baby but do you guys wanna feed mama? Come on over" The zoo keeper Zoë asked, she was our guide today.

"Mama" Esmaè said and pointed at Ali.

"No not mama baby" I said chuckling kissing her head of hair.

We followed the zoo keeper and walked up to a low gate where two adult giraffes were standing, and they were huge.

"Ok Emily if you wanna stand here for me, and you guys stand next to her" the keeper said.

She gave me some foliage and I did as she showed us, holding it out to the first giraffe who gently took it from my hand.

"This girl here is called Melo, she is four years old and loves carrots, head scratches and sometimes ignoring staff. And that guy you're feeding there Ella is called Inyeti he is six and he has been with us about two years now" the keeper informed us.

Es laughed as the giraffe took the twig and leaves from my hand.

"Here she can feed them too, they're not ones to bite" Zoë said handing my daughter a piece of foliage, she seemed hesitant as Alison got her phone out.

I held Esmaè's hand in mine with the food and we fed Melo as she took the foliage from us and Ali took a photo.

I handed Alison the baby so that I could get some photos of my two girls as well.

"Hanna if you wanna go and grab that bucket there you can grab a carrot and go ahead and feed him one. Now these guys live up to fifteen years, another cool thing about these guys is their hearts are two feet long" the keeper said.