So hilarious, and so lovely! Such a happy,

carefree, childhood!  Thank you for sharing.  I grew up near the Beijing Zoo.  Once, while hanging out behind the Beijing Planetarium, some friends and I caught a guinea fowl (珍珠鸡）that had fled the zoo.  It was a beautiful creature.  We eventually returned it to the zoo.  We'd have kept it had it been a tiger.  :)