Eric was in a beige T-shirt and light-brown shorts. The only thing he was missing to be mistaken for one of the zoo’s staff was a badge. Sadik looked down at his chest, where the goofy badge was. He looked and felt like a Boy Scout. Which didn’t help his image in front of the boy.

So, he unclasped the badge and knelt down to Eric’s eye level.

“I am going to give you a new position. Chief tour guide. Are you up for the responsibility?” Eric nodded eagerly as Nikola looked on with a small smile on his lips. The group was still gathering, but a couple of mothers that had come here with their children were cooing at the sight.

“What does a bear say?” Asked Sadik, winking at the boy.

Eric gave his best roar impression, which turned into something between a meow and a big R sound. A woman giggled and Sadik pinned the badge on Eric’s T-shirt.

“Just so. I will be having you demonstrate for each animal. So keep sharp,” Eric saluted, and Sadik kissed his cheek.

“Such a good father,” said one of the mothers, and Eric blushed. Sadik saw that the boy’s eyes were getting misty, and he placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Chin up. Today, it is your duty to be happy. You are a big boy. A smart boy. And you have a tour to guide,” Eric nodded, smiling. Sadik stood up, took the boy’s hand, and went back to Nikola.

“You are good with children,” said Nikola dreamily.

“It is not hard. Children are just little people. You treat them like you respect them, and they catch on,” Nikola mulled over the words. “But, you are the mother of the family. So, you get to baby him.”

Nikola grinned at that. He wouldn’t miss the opportunity for the world. Eric was such an adorable kid. With his cheeks, which were made for pinching. And his likeness to Sadik. Sure, his skin was pale, but then again, he was not a Turk.

A woman approached them, tugging her child behind her.

“When is the tour going to start?” She asked, and the boy looked at Eric’s badge with longing.

“When we get three more people,” said Sadik. They needed twenty adults for a tour to start. Those were the rules.

“Can’t we start sooner? Jake is getting impatient and when he gets impatient he…” The boy screamed and tugged his mother. She looked pained at that.

“We are sorry, ma’am. But those are the rules. Please — return to your spot,” said Nikola. The woman sent him a glare, and he looked at the boy. The child was getting angrier. He scanned him for anything wrong but found nothing. When the woman went back to her spot to wait, Nikola turned to Sadik.

“We have to watch out for that kid. He looks like a …” Nikola didn’t want to say something like that to a child, but the implication was there.

“Spoiled brat? Nothing wrong with him?” Asked Sadik, and Nikola shook his head.

“Apart from lack of discipline, no. Thank God,” Sadik traced the child with his eyes and saw the mother whispering something to the boy. The boy’s cheeks puffed and he screamed. He kicked his mother’s ankles, and she tugged at his ear.

“I bet you he will try to feed the animals,” said Sadik with a frown. “Or pet them. Or try to get in the enclosures.”

The trainers during the lessons referred to such children as danger magnets. The instructions the trainees got for them was to watch them and keep them close. To ask them questions and keep them engaged. Sadik made his way to the mother with a forced smile.

“Ma’am, would you like to come to the front of the group? Then little Jake will have a front seat to the animals,” and Sadik could keep an eye on the little devil.

“Oh, that is wonderful. Thank you. Do you mind looking after him for a minute or two? I need to smoke a cigar,” Sadik nodded and extended his hand to the boy. Jake swapped it and poked his tongue. Sadik resisted the urge to bend the rascal over his knee or tug at the boy’s ear, like the spawn’s mother had done.

He forced his smile to widen, until it was creepy, and the boy took his hand out of fear. Another person joined the group, a mother with three boys, and Sadik turned to Jake’s mother.

“Please be quick. We only need two more people,” she nodded and moved away like her shoes was on fire. Sadik tugged Jake along and, when the boy was next to Eric, he let got of his hand.

Eric extended his hand for a handshake, but Jake swapped it away.

“Meany!” snapped Eric, and he turned his back to the other boy. Jake shrugged and stared at the entrance of the zoo impatiently.

“Sadik, where is the mother?” Nikola’s eyes scanned the group, but didn’t find the woman.

“She went to smoke. Can you blame her?” Nikola couldn’t really. That assessment was made even grater when Jake pinched his leg. Nikola took the boy’s ear between two fingers and unceremoniously tugged it.

“You will get in trouble for that! I will tell mom,” Nikola tugged harder until the boy yelled.

“I am certain that she wouldn’t mind, Jake,” two mother came with their children. Nikola noted with relief that they were teenagers and looked well-mannered. The mother was still not back, and Nikola looked to Sadik.

“We go. She can catch up,” said Sadik, and he waved his hands.

“Everyone, we are happy that you are here. Please take a hold of your children and don’t let them wander. The first place we will visit is the reptile house,” some children, mostly the boys, looked eager at that.

They moved out, Nikola clutching at Jake’s hand with one hand and taking a hold of Eric’s with the other. Jake, at least, seemed to be excited about the reptile house, so he didn’t need to be dragged.