Well, I think then that helped me. I mean, working in a zoo, I saw, you know, you saw the animals, you saw good and the bad. So, you know, if the space was too small or they were keeping animals behind the scenes for no reason, you know, that… Read More
There was no pool. And we had, and I, the other thing in the children’s zoo, we had like six or seven three by two by two foot cages. And each one had a civet or a, or either a civet or a some sort of carnivore. And they, and,… Read More
So did you have, were you forming a philosophy about zoo management then?… Read More
They, they just have some complaints. So it did some good. And anyway, I think, I don’t think he left because of that, but he did leave and then Warren came in a lot of that, that those kind of issues were resolved. But, but it was just my background… Read More
You know, I had a vision, but I was actually, somebody sent me the newspaper articles before Warren came. As I said, there’s this guy, Chester Hogan, I think he was a nice guy. I don’t really remember that much, but the zoo, I was so smart. I knew everything… Read More
So during this period, were you forming your philosophy about Zoom management or did you already have a vision or you had no vision?… Read More
Was when you were promoted to the acting associate curator, was this promotion a step up in the management of Los Angeles that you might go further within the zoo management?… Read More
I don’t know what, you know, I don’t know what Warren Thomas felt about it. I guess he felt try, that’s a way to mentor some of the, the keepers that had that potential. And you know, all of ’em that did it after me, I think it was Russ… Read More
Well, I suppose if there would’ve been openings, I mean, traditionally we had the three curators, birds, mammals, and reptiles. And, you know, none of those people were really gonna leave that quickly. But I think, I think you just wanted to give people a cha chance. And if there… Read More
And he looks at her and says, run. So there was a little, I don’t know that they, the keepers were really trained in guest services at that time. But God, it was a great job. Read More
But we were sitting there and this nice young lady family comes up and looks at Dick and says, how do we get out of here?… Read More
And being, being picked as an associate curator, was this promotion or was it a potential step up to management at Los Angeles?… Read More
And been there, looked like I’d been there a while. So I just cleaned it all out and chlorine it and everything. Well, the keeper, the, the regular keeper was a little pissed ’cause that’s where he slept. And so, so I, I, I probably ruffled a few feathers there. Read More
I think some did. I, I, I don’t know for a fact. Some may have some accepted me. I, I pretty, I get along with most people and and obviously a lot of ’em were older than me, but I, I got along with them, we joked around and stuff. Read More
So Did the, here you are, young guy, did the older keepers resent you that you were an educated?… Read More
Oh, I think the curatorial, I don’t think it was difficult. I mean, I knew enough about it. I, I just had a lot of fun and I didn’t mind being a keeper. I like hard work and I like working directly with animals. So no, I, I liked all… Read More
So I got on the phone and I didn’t, I wasn’t successful, but I got on the phone and tried to do things like that. But he had me do odd, odd jobs or all research, find out who had this with that and, and that kind of thing. So… Read More
You mean being a curator or being a keeper, Being in the zoo, being a keeper with this curatorial experience?… Read More
Was it a difficult job or in your opinion, was it a job of a lifetime?… Read More
Nobody really has ’em but us in Phoenix and why don’t you see if you can trade some of those for a copy?… Read More