Book Signing, Aileen Hennes, <The Hirsute Civil Servant>

The "I" in this fable is an orangutan. As far as he knows, he's always lived in the zoo where he believes he is employed as a functionary to educate people about nature. Although he considers his mission futile - visitors average eighteen seconds in contemplating him - he's basically good natured about his lot. There are the regulars and his keeper, whose antics keep him amused. As for the rest of the visitors, he has a way of distinguishing them as either fifteen or four million year people depending on their attitude; that is to say, if they seem to think that our common ancestors parted ways a long time ago, or relatively recently. Occasionally, when it all becomes too much for him, there is ‘the Java', a gunny sack which he pulls over his head by way of escape.

One day, a visitor leaves behind an open umbrella…