Sanctuary

I answer the door. It's my sister. “Did you see the DoorDash guy?” I ask hastily. No, she says bewildered. “I’ll be back” I reply and make a dash for the stairs. As I approach the lobby I see a guy holding a red DoorDash bag outside the lobby door. I see him looking at his phone. I think he’s about to call me to tell me he can’t get in. He looks up and makes eye contact with me. I wave. I open the door and he hands me a brown paper bag I recognize from the bodega. “Thank you,” I say. Your welcome he says and quickly turns around and heads back to his car. He has a bull tattoo on the back of his neck... interesting. I head back up the stairs. Back in my apartment, I split my chicken sausage egg and cheddar sandwich with Nola. I've been thinking about getting a dog. We talk about how we love dogs but don't love the responsibility. Nola comes up with the best ideas for outings. We have been to places I didn't even know existed in Georgia like Noah's Ark, it's an exotic animal sanctuary. I'm so excited to go. We leave to pick up Chi... After years of friendship, you are gifted the ability to see growth in yourself and your friends. We have been through crazy things together. We're talking over thirteen years of ex-lovers, people we thought were friends, babies, and you guessed it drama. Yet the friendship stays strong and for that I am grateful. After a lengthy but easy drive down to the Noah's Arc, we arrived at a dirt road that led us down a windy driveway towards a building. A family of peacocks we’re crossing the parking lot seemingly heading home as if they knew the park was closing soon. We park and walk towards the entrance. You can see my experimented hair color darkest blonde brown better in the sunlight... Chi says "I like your hair!" I shyly say thank you I'll take any validation right now. A gentleman is locking the gate as we approach the main entrance. It was fifteen minutes after the hour. We asked the man locking the gate “What time did you guy close?” He says 3 pm on weekdays. I can feel the disappointment all over my face. Then he asks “Where yall from?” We say Gwinnett in unison. Although we’re not in high school anymore we'll always be from that crazy crazy north side. He says “man that's a long way from here. Nola chuckles. "I can drive yall around real quick.” A free ride around the sanctuary? A personal tour after closing? How lucky are we? "Absolutely!" I say and we all hope on his four-seater golf cart. He drove us around to see all the different types of monkeys. I can’t remember the last time I saw wild animals this close. We got to see tigers. All of them lounging in the light of the sun approaching dusk. As exciting as this I'm distracted by the fragile appearance of the poorly built green chain fence between us and it's a bit unnerving. I know they're here by choice. We saw the bears the foxes and the wolves, and lastly, he showed us the lions. Beautiful animals to see in person. They are also lounging in the grass away from the fence. Our personal tour guide confesses to us they only eat twice a week and the lions only come to the gate on feeding days and today unfortunately for us not one of them. I'm reminded again that only a thin chain link fence was separating us. Our guide pretends to feed the lion and calls him to come closer. The lion seems unbothered and looks away. Our guide closes the tour with that end drives us back to our car. I love the way things work out. On the ride home, Nola plays "New Body" by Kanye Nicki and Ty Dolla $ign. I love old Kanye and old Nicki but I have to admit the song is growing on me. My love life may be trash as of right now but if nothing else I know I can find sanctuary in my friends.