Storytelling: Lost at the Zoo

by Kate Franzen

When I was little, around five or six, I loved the zoo. I went to zoo camp every year and both my cousin and I loved the tigers. When I first heard about zoo lights, I practically begged my mom to take us for weeks until she finally caved in. Being the eager and irresponsible first graders we were, my cousin and I bolted for the tiger exhibit first thing, leaving our family with no choice but to follow, or so we thought. We stayed there for quite some time and ultimately ended up getting lost in a sea of restless Oregonians trying to make their rounds before the zoo’s gates closed for the night. We ventured off into the unknown loop of tired, hungry animals. We were looking for a familiar faces of our families; there they were, no more than thirty feet away.
This is the story I told to my eighth-period mass communications class this February for our storytelling unit. A story of great remembrance in me and my family’s lives, a story we often joke about. 

I chose to tell this story because it had a really big impact on me as a child, but it was still light-hearted and fun; something that I felt comfortable sharing with my peers. I thought this was a story most people could relate to, as little kids tend to get themselves lost quite often. 

Going into this unit, I was hesitant about sharing a story with the class. I didn’t think I had a story worth telling or a story interesting enough to keep others engaged, but I learned quickly that it didn’t matter what story I told, but rather how I chose to tell it. I decided to tell my story in a way that I felt was entertaining: I made it funny and relatable so everyone could enjoy it in one way or another. Overall, my experience telling this story was a very fun and gratifying one.