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Monkey Madness

I bet you didn't believe me when I told you yesterday that I have a monkey on my back, but here's the proof.

He was actually a gift, from someone who showed up at the plaza to see the show a few months ago.

As much as I appreciated the gesture, I stuck the monkey in my office on the window sill thinking I'd probably give it away to some child. Turns out the child was me. Every time I'd look at that monkey he was looking back with that simian smile of his. Upon further investigation, I realized there was more to this monkey than meets the eye.

He's called a Zoobie Pet and he converts from a pillow to a blanket hidden in a zippered pocket. I decided to take him home, figuring my daughter, even though she is a teenager, might get a kick out of him. When I got in the car, I wrapped my Zoobie around me to stay warm (this was back in January). I immediately fell into a wonderful sleep (and I never nap) and didn't wake up until the car service pulled up to my house.

Well, that did it. I was smitten. Forget about Lily, this was my monkey now. And every day since that car ride I have taken Zoob with me back and forth to work. Even our security guard Joe has gotten to know Zoob, my security blanket.

And before you say I've totally lost it, how about this: Natalie Morales happened to spot the monkey in my office and fell in love with him, too. Of course she wanted one for her four-year-old son Josh (at least that's the story she's going with). As a surprise, I ordered a Zoobie Pet for Natalie's son (he's a giraffe guy, not a monkey man, so that's what I got him), as well as one for my assistant Amanda's baby girl Sophia.

And in case it looks as if Lily was left out in the cold without a blanket, she wasn't. When it comes to this monkey business, Lily thinks I'm bananas.

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