Zoo Joke: The Red Sweater

A keeper is on his first week of the job, still diligently shadowing his new curator, when the call goes over the radio.  A nasty tom turkey is chasing children around the petting barn.  The curator sighs and glances over at the new keeper.  "Do me a favor, will you?  Run into my office - there's a red sweater hanging on a hook by the door.  Would you grab it for me?"

The keeper nods and runs to the curator's office.  He sprints back with the sweater and hands it to the curator, who immediately puts it on.  The curator then proceeds to calmly stroll up to the turkey, grabs it, tucks it under one arm, and carries it off to a holding pen.

A few days later, the new keeper is still working alongside the curator, when the radio sends out another call.  "A child has fallen into the alligator exhibit!"  The curator immediately responds, "I'm on my way!" then tells the new keeper to grab his red sweater and meet him over a the alligator exhibit.  The newbie sprints and makes it to the exhibit just as the curator does.  He passes the sweater to the curator, who pulls it on in a hurry, then jumps into the alligator exhibit.  Carefully sidestepping the alligators, he grabs the frightened child and hurries him to safety.

The next day, the new keeper asks his curator, "What's the red sweater for?"  The curator replies, "I put it on whenever there is a dangerous job to do and I think I might bleed.  That way, visitors don't see me injured and panic."

Well, a few weeks of peace and quiet go by.  By chance, the next time an emergency goes out over the radio, the newbie is standing next to the curator.

"A bulldozer just plowed through an entire section of fencing!" screams the voice on the radio.  Three lions, two tigers, a polar bear, and a cassowary are on the loose!"

The curator nods grimly, then turns to some other keepers who are standing nearby.  "Johnson, go get the gun team ready.  Pat, make up some tranquilizer darts .  Murphy, start getting visitors to safety."  He then turns to the newbie.

"I know, I know, get the red sweater..."

"Well, yeah.  Also, right next to it, there should be a pair of brown trousers..."