Flaco

 Dear Koko, 

The phone has become such a constant in  your life now - the Roblox, the FIFA, the hundred other games which sit on my paid memory for no good reason. What i did not realize is that you are also a connoisseur of all things absurd that the internet has to offer. 

Just the other day you start a story, "Ma this is a regular Madagascar story, ok?"

Now Madagascar is easily one of my favorite animation movies. I mean who doesn't love Marty? I know, you're more of an Alex fan. So i was quite pleasantly surprised when you wanted to share this story. I thought maybe this is something you heard in school, in between your Pokémon card trading. 

So what I gathered is that there is a an own called Flaco who was the resident of the zoo in New York. You said that his face reminded you of Hedwig. I mean sure, how many owls do we know? So our Flaco was an eagle-owl who was born in captivity. He lived ten long years in the zoo. While he was there, he was not really a popular attraction. you said "He was no Alex, he was a Marty at best"

So one day someone cut the protective netting and through this newly created hole, our Flaco fled, he flew, like he had never flown in his life. 

The zoo officials were scared for his life. The bird was bred in captivity and had never lived a day on his own. Surely he would perish out there. He does not know how to hunt, how to build a nest. How oh how would he make it? The speculations were high that he would probably return to the zoo in some time. A lot of effort was also put into recapturing the bird but to no avail. 

As soon as the news about Flaco spread, there were a number of petitions doing the rounds advocating his freedom. Not only that he had grown quite a fan following who would gather in Central Park, where he had taken up his residence now, following his moves. After his escape from the zoo enclosure, he lived in and around Central Park quite happily for a year. He did learn to hunt, he even had a nest to sleep in. 

You said "he looks real happy right, Ma?"

the next part of the news basically talked about how Flaco passed away after colliding with a building in Manhattan which was a part of town he had just started exploring, going out of Central Park. So I said, "well, he would have been happy and alive if he was living in the zoo"

"But then he would not have seen all these new places or made these new friends" you said. 

I think you are right little wise one, he was happier in that one year than he had been in his boring cage. 

Jus thought I will write this down so that some day in the distant future if you are deluded and think that you should stay in the cage, know that flying will make you happier. Be like Marty or Flaco. 

Love,

Ma