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Being a Lancastrian, I enjoyed Stanley Holloway's 'Albert and the Lion' as a child and so resolved to attempt a monologue of my own. I chose the name Albert Ramsbottom in tribute to that earlier story, and my own tale is, in a manner of speaking, a sequel to it.
A Visit to the Zoo is based upon a true story that was recounted to me in a pub many years ago, which must have lurked in the back of my mind ever since. Something similar actually happened but I have adapted it to suit the character of Albert, the 'hero' of the yarn. I am almost ashamed to confess that Albert is a re-construct of myself as a boy, whilst his mother is the product of observing the adversities of parenting suffered by my own three daughters.
My wife and I took our niece, Lucy, to London Zoo, where we, too, were allowed to feed penguins. I can vouch for their voracious appetites and their complete absence of manners, together with the ready use of their beaks, and believe that this harrowing experience constitutes true in-depth research into the workings of a penguin's mind.
I wrote the story to entertain my grandchildren, but I doubt if they enjoyed the telling as much as I enjoyed the writing. I do hope it makes you smile when reading it to your audience or yourself.
About the author
The author is retired and came to writing late in life. Although he has lived his adult years in the South of England, this story however has North of England ethos, reflecting his upbringing and his spiritual home. The story, originally intended to entertain his grandchildren, is not seeking to inculcate any deep moral values but rather to amuse and perhaps even to encourage an occasional 'kick against the pricks' of conformity. He too was once an 'Albert'.
