One day, an out-of-work mime was visiting the zoo and decided to earn some money as a street performer.
He stood near the entrance and began performing his silent routine.
Within minutes, a large crowd gathered around him.
The mime pretended to climb invisible walls, pull invisible ropes, and juggle imaginary balls.
Everyone was laughing and applauding.
Suddenly, the zoo director approached him.
“Come with me to my office,” he said.
The mime was worried.
He thought he was going to be kicked out.
Instead, the director smiled.
“You’re incredibly talented. I’d like to offer you a job.”
The mime was surprised.
“What kind of job?” he asked with his hands.
The director explained that the zoo’s most popular attraction, the chimpanzee, had unexpectedly died.
“We can’t afford to lose the visitors,” the director said. “Would you be willing to wear the chimpanzee costume and perform for a few days?”
The mime agreed.
The next morning, he put on the costume and entered the chimpanzee enclosure.
He swung from ropes, climbed trees, and entertained the visitors.
The crowd loved him.
Soon, he became more popular than the original chimpanzee had ever been.
One afternoon, he got carried away.
He climbed higher and higher until he accidentally slipped.
He fell into the lion enclosure.
The terrified mime began waving his arms and shouting for help.
“HELP! HELP!”
The lion slowly walked toward him.
Then the lion whispered,
“Shut up! You’ll get us both fired!”
