Tokuyama Zoo is a tourist attraction in Yamaguchi Prefecture. Mr. Daisuke’s father took him to visit with his sister and their cousin on his day off. The man wearing a grey jacket in the back is a postman from Shunan City. His daughter, who is in elementary school, loves the Malay Bear in the zoo and wants to become a zookeeper. They had also come for the female Jaguar named Jammy that had recently arrived from Fukuoka Zoo. What he couldn’t know was that many years later his daughter would have the opportunity to “interview” the now very popular Malay Bear, Tsuyoshi, when she worked for a television station. The bear had become famous for holding its head like some people do when they are in deep trouble.
「徳山動物園へ」 、 C プリント、1982年頃、8 x 12 cm、田尾大介蔵
徳山動物園は山口県の観光地だ。大介氏の父親は、休日に彼と妹、そして従兄弟を連れて訪れた。写真に写っている、後ろの灰色のジャケットを着た男性は、周南市の郵便局員だ。彼の隣には、マレーグマが大好きな彼の娘がいる。彼らもまた、福岡動物園から引っ越してきたばかりのジャミーというメスのジャガーに会いに来たのだ。何年も後、彼女はテレビ番組で有名になったオスのマレーグマのツヨシ君に「インタビュー」をするため、再来する機会を得た。ツヨシ君は、まるでとても困っている人間のように、頭を抱えこむ仕草で有名だった。