Panda Family Tale Part Four

Travalon concludes his story about the panda family:

Negotiations between the Wheeling and Shanghai zoos began, but moved along slowly. The Chinese drove a hard bargain. They shot down an attractive offer of a Copybara and a Ring Tailed Lemur for Grandy and insisted on an exchange of a young but full grown American Bison, a fairly rare Rhinosaurus Hornbill bird, and $10,000 cash in exchange for Grandy, two giant deadly Chinese bees, and a platypus. Difficult, but because Wheeling valued loving homes for red pandas so much, they considered it. There were other bison at the zoo, the Hornbill could be replaced as the  Milwaukee County Zoo had a couple that could be dealt for. The bees sounded scary at first for their animal handlers to take on, but they were well trained. They could make a very interesting exhibit for Wheeling, especially for teenage zoo patrons, as they are so dangerous and only found in China. 

Coming up with the cash was a problem. It was tax season and the zoo owed. It also took a revenue loss during the past winter. Regardless, a Bring Grandy Home fundraiser event was proposed and launched.

Meanwhile back in Madison, despite the anxiety of the wait for Grandy, and the panda family missing him terribly, life went on pretty happily. Randy and Andy came along with Famous Hat and me on the Packer cruise. They loved being on the ocean, and seeing the southern US, but didn't care for the 85 F heat, so unlike the cool temps of the Himalayas. 

Mama Mandy struck up a friendship with Angie the barista bear, and they made a big Easter dinner for the whole panda family, green Irish bear family, Dieter, and all our critters. The pandas also rescued a starving female bobcat named Bobbi back in the marsh and we welcomed her to into our home, and later did the same with her tiny daughter Bobbette. Little Shandi still dreamed of a never-to-be romance with Dieter and continued to join him on the night watch. 

The funds were raised for the Grandy deal. More weeks went by as Shanghai had to get final approval from their CPA. Wheeling officials said, "What, they need a Certified Public Accountant to check the books for this?"  No, it was their Chinese Panda Authority.

The deal finally went through, and a worn-out Grandy was now on his way to join his family in our home! 

Needless to say, the whole red panda family lived happily ever after! 

Travalon