Death by Ostrich

   Well, I wasn't killed, but could have been, by this very beast.  One summer day, we decided to take the kids and visit Safari Land, an area animal park open at the time. Local television personality David Allen used to advertise it. Somewhere north of Greenwich, maybe Gansvoort or some place.
   It was a drive-through nature preserve, several miles of roads through segmented areas, with a booth at the entrance of each fenced section, some of them staffed,  and a number of signs.
  We had a station wagon and the kids could see through the windows: "Look at that lion,"  in regard to a rather desultory looking animal lying near some rocks.  The sign over the road to that enclosure advised visitors not to get out of their cars and to leave the windows rolled up.
   Driving a distance down the winding road, we came to an enclosure saying visitors could leave their cars to walk among the animal life there.  Husband and kids were  not  inclined to do so, maybe because it was a hot day, or maybe they just didn't feel like it.  I, probably wanting to participate in the day's adventure by  doing more than just sitting in the car, got out.  I looked around, trying to see signs of animal life--the visitor-friendly type.  I spotted an ostrich, a distance away; "Look, kids."
     I don't know how fast an ostrich is capable of running, but it didn't take long for it to start closing the gap between it and me.  They really pound the ground when they hurry. Safety zone maybe, but I decided to get in the car, without a lot of time to spare either, and slammed the door shut.  That ostrich ran right up to our car, and started drilling its beak  against the roof of the car.  It made a lot of noise.  The roof of the car was not damaged, but I don't think I could have said the same for my head if it had been the target. At some point, someone took the picture posted above, through the closed window.