Spots and Stripes

 

The alarm woke me in the middle of a dream that involved an animated Snoopy (from Charles Schulz’ Peanuts comic strip) dancing on one page of a book and playing ice hockey on the next.

This may explain why I woke up with a taste for fluff this morning. So, fluff it is.

Not exactly a human interest story but rather an animal one: the five zebras on the loose from a farm in Upper Marlboro have captured the public’s imagination. It appears that area journalists have been unable so far to resist using the phrase “zebras have been spotted.” 

Sigh.

This article from DCist asks a question I hadn't even thought of yet:

Could the escaped zebras survive roaming around Prince George’s County forever?  , Rachel Kurzius

Yes, it includes the “zebras have been spotted” line but I’ll give it a free pass because it also includes a reference to one of my favorites songs from the old Captain Kangaroo show of my childhood.

“People that are curious may say, ‘Oh, they’re horses with striped pajamas — I can get close to them’ and that could be dangerous.” 

Oh, say there, Captain?

Now so far our story is only tangentially local. But what if the zebras make it all the way to Howard County? (Yes, I’m going there.)

Map courtesy of Maryland State Highway Administration 

Hmm…that means they’d have to make it all the way through Anne Arundel County first. I’ll admit it doesn’t appear likely.

But, since it’s the middle of the work week and I woke up with a taste for fluff, let’s ask this hyperlocal question. Assuming the zebras make it to Columbia/HoCo, where do you think they would go and why?

An example:

The zebras would clearly go to the Lakefront for a drink and to play in the fountain. 

Now it’s your turn. Live it up! Let yourself go. We can be serious tomorrow.