The Man in the Cage

Frankie was visiting the zoo. He went past the lions, saw the monkeys, and went through the reptile house. All in all, it was a good visit. On his way out, with his ice-cream cone in one hand and his bag of souvenirs in the other, he went past an exhibit he hadn’t noticed before.

Sitting in a filthy cage was a middle-aged man. He looked out of place, sitting cross-legged on the straw at the bottom of the cage. This wasn’t some kind of Tarzan display, or other exhibition of feral humans. The man was fully clothed and seemed to be perfectly normal, except that he was in a cage like an animal.

“Hey, what are you doing in there?” Frankie asked. “You’re a person. You should be out here with me.”

“No I’m not.” The caged man said in a very matter of fact voice. “I’m a bear.”

Frankie didn’t believe him, and told the man so. Obviously riled up by his incredulous visitor, the man in the cage set out to prove he belonged there.

“No. I’m not a person.” He said. “Would a person do this?” And he proceeded to drop his trousers, pull down his underpants, and poop right there in front of everyone.

“Ah,” Frankie said, “but would a bear have to take his pants down first?”