The fact that I spent my childhood, in my grandpa's own personal zoo, that had actual lions and tigers and all that, just this random guy in Florida, is so /weird\ when you actually think about it
It's not too SAD, per se, as he genuinely took care of them, always made sure they had plenty of clean water and food, good sized areas (I think the place was a regular zoo or dog shelter or something, before him), always treated well. Apparently, when my dad and uncle were kids, they saw him just /whaling\ on an employee for beating one of the cougars
According to him, he got inspired, by how fascinated European soldiers he knew got, when he told them about the animals of Florida during the war, so he used his money to get some animals
Because in the 50s, I guess that's just something you could do. And we were never anywhere close to well off, it was he'd do yard work and renovations for a buddy, that buddy would give him meat and stuff, and grandpa would hunt, it all worked out
He actually ran it as a roadside zoo back then, was never a particularly famous one, but it made enough to keep the employees. Grandpa stopped having people over, around the time we were born, he was getting old, wanted to make it more manageable for himself
But still had a decent few animals, so his grandkids could have fun. The man bought me a baby alligator, as my make up 8th birthday present. I named him Powerade, and he'd always run up, when I was there
I owned an alligator, Powerade was mine, I'd just hang around this pond in my grandpa's zoo, with my BFF pet alligator, like it was a normal thing. My 2nd favorite was the jaguar, obviously named Jack, because my family thinks we're funny
In between helping him feed and water 500lbs jungle cats, like how most kids feed the cows or something. You'd get accidentally scratched and a bite, but that built character, made you a MAN, and was never too serious (I think grandpa's mindset of treating them like beloved pets paid off there, it was clear they were just roughhousing, not actually attacking)
Oddly, was always more terrified of the cougars, than the bigger ones, I think it's because it was more realistic? We ran into one on a hunting trip once, nothing happened, but it's different, when it's a truly wild animal, than the one your grandpa pat on the head every day. And that's not really an option for the others, aside from the gators
When he got cancer, he found homes for them all, zoos and rescues and all that. He wanted them taken care of, where they could live out the rest of their days peacefully
If there's one fun thing about Florida, it's that most people round here, they think it's a bit out there, but not TOO crazy. Grandpa had himself a zoo, why the heck not? Free country, brother, yeehaw! And it was obviously normal in our family, cuz that's what your husband/dad/grandpa just did
But it's just so weird, to sit and think about as an adult. Likely why I became a furry, surrounded by all those cool animals. Wouldn't trade those memories for the world, but we might have been some of the most Florida Men to ever be Florida Man
I'm not a religious person, I only go to church with my grandma, because it makes her happy, a Proper Family, and all that, but I DO hope grandpa's up in heaven with his cavalcade of crazy animals. Dude fought Nazis and loved those beasts, and us, with everything he had, he deserves it
And I like to think Powerade is still alive, he'd be only be 24, I thiiiink that's realistic, if they still took good care of him. They better have
And a part of me is sad, my nephew and nieces won't have that fun. The responsible adult in me and my brothers, realize that went wayyyy to nice, than it could have. But what crazy stories are they gonna think about, when they're in their 30s, y'know?
