Well, I learned the hard way that working around zoo animals, you had stress factors involved. And my goal was to get in and get out of any situation that you were in, including surgery with the collection. And so there Eric and I’d be scrubbing up together doing an… Read More
In the beginning, what were your top items that you wanted to address or enhanced when you first came in?… Read More
And of course, I was able to fill in, in between. So he had a lot less emergency calls than I ever did in that same spot. And so I continued to be able to indulge and do some medical work. And Eric was able to kind of take care… Read More
Were you the director part-time veterinarian?… Read More
At the time I took over the zoo, Marlin, certainly, had never budgeted anything for the medical department, as I mentioned earlier. Whatever that $75 a month stipend may have been and no hospital and no facility, so I, of course, proceeded logically. I was there and I would look… Read More
I had the understanding that if at any time I wanted to leave, I could. And if they wanted me to leave at anytime they could. So I had kind of, I think a good, in my mind anyway, comfort level that this was something I would try, do the… Read More
You were the director, but you didn’t have a part-time veterinarian. Read More
And I kind of, I guess, reflect back now and see where all the deficiencies and issues maybe were there, but I surely didn’t know them or wasn’t aware of them at the time. The one thing that I guess, again, benefited by more than most people might or could,… Read More
I’m trying to recall how our interaction was during that time with Marlin. I’m sure that he helped me know a little bit about how the Park District operated and how the zoo fitted into the operation, but Marlin was not there much. Marlin was almost a person non-grata or… Read More
But there was no question that there was no strong friendly rapport from that moment on between him and the park commissioners. And I think part of his going to St. Louis was that they in a sense were aware of this history and bought the package, he was going… Read More
During that time that you were with Marlin in this transition, did he give you any other advice?… Read More
And the practice, sat down with the people at the practice and told them that I’d like to kind of take a leave of absence if you will, to try this zoo job. And hopefully if it didn’t work out that I could come back to the practice. So that’s… Read More
“And you’ve got a good practice, “and why would you wanna change?” And I said, “Marlin, same reason you’re in it. “I just think the concept of being full-time with a zoo, “and the zoo collection would be something “that I think I’d like to try to do.” So I… Read More
Mr. McFetridge was a very well-known and well-regarded labor leader in Chicago. He is good friend of mayor Daley’s, and he was not a man that you’d keep waiting if he wanted to see you. So I didn’t know for sure why he wanted to see me, and got down… Read More
I said, “You know, I think I’m gonna apply for that job “that Marlin Perkins had, and just see what happens.” And so I went down and talked to people at the Park District, and said, “I think I’d like to apply for Marlin’s position.” And when I told him… Read More
One day when I was doing my visit to the zoo, Marlin proceeded to tell me goodbye, and told me he’s going back to St. Louis. Marlin had started his career there, went from St. Louis to Buffalo, Buffalo, Chicago, and now back to St. Louis. And he was going… Read More
Back man meaning surgery, I love surgery and enjoyed it. And it made more sense that I was interacting with clients out in front and the animal, the patients. And so some of those zest of, or the challenge, I guess, of practice diminished. And I got to thinking, “You… Read More
Dan of course, must have painted some wondrous stories about that night. And the, so the keepers thought, well, maybe I’m not such a bad guy after all as a doctor. And I think it helped my rapport with the future interactions in dealing with medical issues during that period… Read More
And somehow I told him that I was on my way to the zoo on an emergency. And he thought that was a good story and started to give me a hard time, and I convinced him it was for real. So he followed me from that point on, on… Read More
And Dan proceeded to give me the story that she was trying to have her baby and couldn’t. And I proceeded to assess the situation, and finally Dan and I were able to rope her, and he was able to confine her to one part of the stall. And I… Read More