November 2005                                                      The Megaphone                                                                  Page 6

Unexpected Thrill

by Julie Crim '57
    

While I was a Snowbird some years ago I spent one to four weeks in Las Vegas before moving further North or South, depending upon the season and the weather. I wasn’t much for gambling but I did enjoy the architecture of the grand casinos and their interior decorations. I enjoyed wondering around the strip. There always seemed to be something new, no matter how many times I was there. I had some favorite places I enjoyed returning too. The white tigers, belonging to Siegfried and Roy at the Mirage, were always a must along with other free animal sanctuaries. This time something different happened, something that gave me a lifelong thrill and a forever memory. I sent the following report to the Panther Den at the time it happened but today I felt it might be my offering to the Megaphone.

10/17/00 

I went to the "Strip" today. I went alone with my PocketMail . . . the idea being to walk down the street and share my first impressions of the season with you. It didn’t work out that way at all though. I took the free shuttle from "home" [Sam's Town, a hotel, casino and RV Park] to the strip. The plan was to go to the MGM hotel [largest hotel in the entire world with over 5000 rooms] and casino, jump on the monorail that began its route from there and head on down to the new Aladdin Hotel and Casino. It had opened since I was last here. 

As I was threading my way thru the MGM towards the monorail platform, I came upon a large glass enclosed circle with people crowded around. Of course I had to look. Inside were three large adult lions, female and young. Believe me they were large, especially up close . . . LARGE! I stood there watching them play with what looked like doggie chew toys only BIGGER. There were three attendants inside the enclosure. I didn’t see any tranquilizing guns, whips, chairs or any protection at all. Next, my eyes searched for claws. Yep, they all seemed to be intact. My, MY, they must be brave or rather stupid, the people inside the cage with those creatures. I watched and watched and then I watched some more. There was no one with me to say, "Hurry up, let's go.”

After about 20 minutes, something Mary Kay Ash [founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics] once told me popped into my head, "You can not expect to get what you want unless you ask for it." I motioned to one of the attendants inside the cage to come here. He did. He couldn't hear me and motioned me to the other side where I saw a door. He opened a small talking space and I took a gulp and said, "Is there any reason why I can’t come in there with you?"

"If you're willing to sign a release form, come ahead." I quickly signed the form before they changed their minds or I came to my senses, and soon, very soon, found myself inside with THREE LIONS!!!! Someone said in a firm voice, "All you have to do, and you must do it, is stay relaxed. They can smell fear." I heard a very small voice say, "OK." In I walked, with the trainer’s hand on my arm [for reassurance?]. WE sat down and all three lions stopped what they were doing and all six of their eyes were on me. Gulp! Soon they lost interest in me and went back to their toys.

A trainer walked right up to one lion, took a toy away from her and handed it to me saying to throw it as if I was playing with a puppy. And so I did. The ole throwing arm must have been weak because it didn't go very far, about six feet. I felt like a bowl of gelatin inside. The little puppy, the very large, young and healthy adult female with very large teeth and claws, waited a moment and when she saw I wasn’t going to move, got up and walked TOWARD ME!!! She picked up the toy and continued coming. She stopped, looked at me, deep in the eyes and dropped it right into my lap. For the next ten minutes or so, we played catch as I started to relax and enjoy the game. I would throw the toy and she would retrieve it and drop it into my lap. Gees, not so hard. Then it dawned on me, here I was, sitting in the middle of a glass enclosure with three healthy lions, all with claws and teeth, and a couple hundred people watching from the other side of the glass. It’s hard to explain how I felt. Was I the crazy one or better yet, was I the one receiving the largest gift of all in that multi-million dollar casino that day? She slowly came and laid down putting her head in my lap . . . TEETH AND ALL!!!! Raising my hand, I patted her saying, "Nice kitty," as her hot breath blew into my face.

The trainer stood and I knew my time was up. But how was I to get up????? A lion was in my lap!!!!! Her head was surprisingly heavy and large. She seemed so much bigger than simply looking at one in a zoo or circus, really different! Seeing my discomposure, they all smiled. I took the toy and threw it to another lion thinking the one in my lap would get up and go after it. A loud roar from behind me seemed to shatter the cage and there must have been 500 new gray hairs on my head! I was helped up and thanked as I left. The attendant said, "See, there’s more people than when you came in."

I'm at the Aladdin now, sitting down writing this. The thrill is still pulsating through my body. A memory made forever. As I think back, I’m awed that not one other person asked to come into the cage. The world is out there for the taking, to experience and taste. It won’t knock on your door but is waiting for you to discover the love and adventure just waiting for you. Just do it!

Julie Crim ‘57 

Lion Tamer (I wish)

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