The Wump-Wump Zoo,
by Martha Webster

Jimmy Joe John Jacob Jackson Boo
who had just turned four-- plus two,
was wondering aloud what a man was supposed to do.
Sheesh, he muttered. All he needed was just another minute or two.
Didn’t people know it wasn‘t easy being caretaker of
The Wump-Wump Zoo? He had to feed the addles and the ordles.
He had to walk the wiggers and the wodders,
and after that--he had to whip up some stew for a bear named Pooh!
Sheesh! Bears had to eat too! Maybe he’d never get it all done, grumbled Jimmy Joe John Jacob Jackson Boo. It was much too much for one man to do, and didn’t they know, he still had lots to do before he was through?

Jimmy Joe John Jacob Jackson Boo,
kept wondering aloud what a man was supposed to do.
Sheesh, he muttered. Couldn’t they hear? All he needed was just another minute or two! Didn’t anyone--anyone at all understand it wasn’t easy being caretaker of The Wump-Wump Zoo? You had to feed the addles and the ordles. You had to walk the wiggers and the wodders--AND--when he was hungry--which he was right now--you had to keep the stew coming for Mr. Pooh! And after doing all that, you still weren’t through. You had to brush the idders and the ippers. You had to wash the tiggers and the toggers and yes, yes, yes----the ziggers and the zoggers needed washing, too! Sheesh!
Didn’t anyone at all have a clue? Maybe he’d never get it all done, grumbled Jimmy Joe John Jacob Jackson Boo, who had just turned four--plus two. It was much too much for one man to do and in case they hadn’t noticed, he still had much to do before he was through.

Jimmy Joe John Jacob Jackson Boo,
was still wondering aloud what a man was supposed to do.
Nobody--nobody--arggggggh!--seemed to understand that it wasn’t easy being
caretaker of The Wump-Wump Zoo.
So far--sheesh!--while everyone else was off doing things they liked to do--
he’d fed the addles and the ordles.
He’d walked the wiggers and the wodders.
He’d made a scrumptious stew for that bear named Pooh--try doing all that without a full kitchen crew! He’d brushed the idders and the ippers.
He‘d washed the tiggers and the toggers, and no, he hadn’t forgotten the ziggers and the zoggers, but now--yes, he did have to clean the cages of the wiggers and the woggers, too! It was a job way, way, waaaaaaaaaay overdue, grumbled Jimmy Joe John Jacob Jackson Boo and all he needed was just another minute or two. But maybe, he‘d never get it all done, he sighed. It was just simply much too much for one man to do, even for one who was four-- plus two.

Jimmy Joe John Jacob Jackson Boo
was still wondering aloud what a man was supposed to do.
What was this world coming too? Sheesh! People he thought just didn’t have a clue. Didn’t they know it wasn’t easy being caretaker of The Wump-Wump Zoo? Jumpin’ jehosophat! He did! And he was only four--plus two!
He had to feed the addles and the ordles--yes, again!
He had to walk the wiggers and the wodders--yes, again!
He had to make another stew for that bear named Pooh--sheesh! What could he do? Winnie was begging him too!
He had to brush the idders and the ippers--yes, again! He had to wash the tiggers and the toggers and the ziggers and the zoggers--yes, again!
And--he had to clean the cages of the wiggers and the woggers--yes, again! But no, no, no! He--STILL!--wasn’t through! Sheesh! How many times did he have to tell them that he had to tend the lozzers and the wozzies, too! All of them, unfortunately had each thrown a shoe and it was causing--in case they hadn’t noticed--quite the hullabaloo. Sheesh! All he needed was another minute or two! What was the problem anyway? grumbled Jimmy Joe John Jacob Jackson Boo. But maybe, he’d never get it all done. It was just much too much for one man to do, even for one who was going on five--plus two.

Jimmy Joe John Jacob Jackson Boo
was still wondering aloud what a man was supposed to do.
He had tried to explain--sheesh, he really had!--until his face it seemed had turned all blue! What would it take for people to understand it wasn’t easy being caretaker of The Wump-Wump Zoo?
There were addles and ordles and wiggers and wodders and idders and ippers and tiggers and toggers and ziggers and zoggers and wiggers and woggers and lozzers and wozzies that needed--tending too! It was as simple as that. Not to mention, that he must…he must… he must… he must feed the pippers and the pogs and the hoo-jits, too! Jumpin’ jehosophat! Winnie wasn’t the only one that needed some stew! And he couldn’t let THEM go hungry! Sheesh! For crying out loud, they were brand-spanking new! How many times did he have to tell them that all he needed was just another minute or two, grumbled Jimmy Joe John Jacob Jackson Boo. But maybe he’d never get it all done, he sighed. It was just much too much for one man to do, and he still had oodles and oodles to do before he was through. It was quite an undertaking he said, even for a man who was going on five-- plus two.

Jimmy Joe John Jacob Jackson Boo,
was still wondering aloud what a man was supposed to do.
She, he thought--of all people!--just didn’t have a clue
that it was the toughest job in the whole wide world being caretaker
of The Wump-Wump Zoo. He’d spent all day working, but no, he still wasn’t quite through. Sheesh! Whatever happened to being patient? All he needed was just another minute or two. Of all the things to happen, Mr. Horsie had now also thrown a shoe--sorry!--and Mr. Bull and Mrs. Cow--well if she really had to know, the batteries weren’t included and they just wouldn’t moo. And--unfortunately, he sighed, the barn door already needed glue--they don’t make ’em like they used too!--and it just had to be fixed, or else, it wouldn‘t hold his herd of polka-dotted zebras and that new flying kangaroo. But before Jimmy Joe John Jacob Jackson Boo, who had just turned four-- plus two--got another minute or two, his mom said, “Quit your stalling young man and pick up those toys! I DON’T CARE IF IT IS CHRISTMAS! It’s time to take your bath and have a SHAMPOO!
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