This is part of a writing exercise using the words: ramble – radish – rhinoceros – rug – red.

Reggie rambled about in his impressive, penned area at the Bacardi Zoo. It was his third or fourth lap around the enclosure this morning. He was bored, bored, bored.

As he passed by the small rocky area that his mate, Agatha, favored, she glanced at him with a roll of her big eyes. “You should give it a rest, Reg,” she said and shifted to her other side on the red rug the zookeepers had recently given them. “You’re making me tired just watching you.”

He hesitated and flashed her an annoyed look. “I can’t seem to stop walking around.” His stomach rumbled. “I ate too many of those ridiculous radishes they put in our morning feed bowl.”

“I don’t know what they were thinking. We rhinoceroses are vegetarians, yes. But radishes? Seriously? Yuck!” Her adorable face scrunched up in disgust, making her small horn lift higher.

“Totally agree, Ag.” He gazed across their seemingly large space and sighed. “I’ve been dreaming as I walked. About going somewhere else. About having an adventure.”

Agatha—one of the rare white rhinos—struggled to her feet and strolled closer to him, with a sweet sway of her hips. “We’ve lived our entire lives in zoos, Reg. I can’t imagine being anywhere else.” But she sounded intrigued, wistful.

They had only been together at this zoo for a little over two years. Before she’d arrived, he’d shared the enclosure with a pair of grumpy, ancient rhinos that complained from the moment they got up until they fell asleep at night. When they’d been moved to a retirement place for older zoo animals, he hadn’t missed them at all. Until he’d realized he was lonely. Soon after that, Agatha had come trotting into his life.

“That may be true, but I can dream. We can dream.” He edged next to her. “How about you take a lap or two around the area with me? We can let our imaginations run free.”

She cocked her head and gave a crooked smile. “I could do that.” She nudged him playfully. “Have I mentioned lately what a handsome black rhino I think you are?”

He puffed up, standing tall, shoulders back. “No, but you can tell me again as we stroll. Maybe go into some details.” He winked at her.

Instead of blushing, she giggled and took off at a trot. He scurried to catch up, noticing she was heading toward one of their favorite private spots away from the curious eyes of any passing zoo visitors. His day was definitely looking up!