Rusty’s appearance changed the Midtown Zoo flamingos. His bruised face and injured wing made him seem tough to a group that spent its days eating shrimp in a climate-controlled pool. He was an exotic outsider to the other flamingos: Fuschia, Rose, Watermelon, Blush, Coral and Bubblegum.
Bubblegum, in particular, had so many questions about the new flamingo. Bubblegum wasn’t like the other flamingos. While her friends ate shrimp all day, Bubblegum would go to the front of the enclosure, show off for the crowd of people, and listen to the zookeepers giving tours. Then she would report back what she heard.
Bubblegum’s stories ranged from flamingos being able to survive with their legs frozen in the water to flamingos having the ability to fly. The flock thought these stories were delightful but believed neither Bubblegum nor the zookeepers.
Rusty soon took over the storytelling, taking the role from Bubblegum.
“It’s a rough world out there,” Rusty would begin and then tell of battling penguins, finding food on the run and frolicking with flamingos not named after the color pink.
“How did you get around?” Bubblegum asked, jealous of such adventures.
“I flew, of course,” Rusty said, shocking the flock. “Now, zoo flamingos can’t fly, but I was not a zoo flamingo until this injury. I was fighting off hawks trying to steal from our nests. I was very brave.”
The other flamingos agreed. Bubblegum was inspired. If flamingos could fly, then maybe Bubblegum could too.
Bubblegum knew from the zookeeper’s stories that her wings were supposed to be clipped, but this was a disorganized zoo. They never clipped wings. They would have forgotten to feed the animals if they didn’t start howling, grunting, screeching and roaring.
“You’re a zoo flamingo. You don’t have what it takes out there,” Rusty said when Bubblegum shared her hopes. He laughed so much he almost choked on a shrimp. “You aren’t tough enough, Bubblegum.”
Bubblegum feared Rusty was correct. She didn’t know how to fly, and no one could show her. However, Rusty took great pride in teasing Bubblegum from that point on.
“You’re just a giant pink ostrich,” Rusty squawked one day to the roars of the other flamingos as Bubblegum was interacting with a zookeeper. She turned another shade of pink from embarrassment. The other birds laughed. The insults kept making less sense.
“Wait, did a small-brained hummingbird tell you that story?” Rusty said to the other birds one day as Bubblegum tried to convey a new story from a zookeeper about how flamingos turned pink from their food.
Bubblegum became more and more frustrated, but the feeling fueled her desire. At night she began to practice flapping her wings while the others slept. After a couple of weeks, she had a breakthrough and rose off the ground. Still, Bubblegum was scared of the outside world and hid her new abilities.
One day, Bubblegum, feeling ostracized from everyone, was minding her own business when Rusty called over, “Now don’t die, Bubblegum, but a butterfly just landed on your head.”
Bubblegum ignored Rusty.
“Look, everyone. Bubblegum is shaking in fright,” Rusty said, and the other flamingos looked and began to laugh.
“You’re a liar,” Bubblegum called over, “I love butterflies.”
“Does anyone else think I’m a liar?” Rusty said, moving Towards Bubblegum. The flamingos fell in behind Rusty, and no one said a word. “Name one thing that I’ve lied about.”
“You lied when you said that I’m just a zoo flamingo,” Bubblegum said. “I’m much more than that. You’re the one who’s turning another shade of pink from gorging on all of that shrimp.”
“You are just a zoo flamingo. I’ve always been this pink. What, if I ate only carrots, you think I’d be an orange flamingo?” Rusty asked. The other flamingos continued to laugh.
Bubblegum stared at her former friends who had turned on her. The flock was now Rusty’s cult. She felt so alone. She also knew that Rusty was pinker. But saying so wouldn’t change anyone’s mind.
Resigned, Bubblegum began to run, causing more laughter, until she took off and soared over the flamingo’s heads. Then the flock uttered surprised squawks.
“Get back down here,” Rusty yelled as she circled overhead. “You’ll never make it out there. You’re just a zoo flamingo!”
That remark was enough for Bubblegum. She was ready for an adventure, one that would prove Rusty wrong. She took off and flew out of the zoo, passing over the hyenas and the snack bar before veering into the city.