If you have spent more than 2 minutes in the company of Anna this summer, you will know that there has only been one topic of conversation. Rhino's!! In fact, even her beloved cube now sits at home sulking while her new cuddly Rhino (called Empathy) accompanies Anna when we go out.
So where has this new found passion for Rhino's come from?
Well, hopefully, the website may explain it a little.
www.rhinomania.co.uk.
Basically, it is 63 life-size Rhino's that have been placed in and about Chester for the summer. They have painted in various guises and all 'works of art', created by some famous and not-so-famous local artists. 2 Rhinos are painted like roman soldiers (to promote the idea of Chester being a Roman city with many links still remaining) while some are more abstract (A Rhino painted white with a bar code and 'While Stocks Last' written on him, to highlight their possible extinction at the hands of human activity). Some of the Rhinos are actually rather stunning pieces of art work. However, this doesn't actually go anyway to explain the obsession that has taken over the Gibson household.
It all started with an innocent trip to Chester where we happened to walk by 'Blossom', a Rhino painted with the flowers of Grosvenor Park in Chester. Anna insisted that she introduce herself to him, give him a hug and a kiss and discuss his finer points. We then eventually walked on and came across another Rhino. Again, we stopped to talk to him and then moved on. At this point, I happened to mention that there were several Rhino's in Chester. To illustrate my point, I then showed Anna a map that was placed next to the Rhino.
Anna's eyes lit up. 'It says '63 Mummy. There are 63 Rhino's. Can we see them all?'
James and I just smiled at each other naively, completely oblivious to the fact that Rhinos were about to take over our lives for summer 2010. We just assumed that Anna would get bored after 5!
2 months on and we have seen all 63! Plus, not content at that, Anna started to see 'baby Rhino's' and wanted to see all of them. (A Baby Rhino was given to each school to paint in their own way. The school then gave it back to the project where they were then displayed across Chester and beyond, before eventually being returned to their school). There are 116!!! I know what you are thinking. Just go and see a few and then tell Anna that you have seen them all. You underestimate my daughter. You see, Anna has a map of the 116 Baby Rhino's and now ticks them when she has seen them. Every morning during the summer, I have actually had a progress report of how many we had seen and how many left we had to find. 'You do know that there are 3 more baby Rhino's don't you Mummy? They are at the zoo Mummy. We won't forget them will we Mummy?’ Yes, that's right. We have seen all 116 Baby Rhino's too.
Some of them are not easy to find either. Maximus was in London (on the platform which sees the train from Chester arrive in Euston each day. Maximus is meant to promote Chester to London folk!!) So, the Gibson family (just to confirm how sad we are) all trooped to London. Of course, we did do other things apart from just seeing Maximus the Rhino but I would be lying if I said that it played a small role in the trip. For Anna, despite showing her Hyde Park, Buckingham Palace, the Science Museum with a basement designed entirely for toddlers with water, sand and the biggest lightweight Lego bricks you have ever seen, the Rainforest Cafe (although she did love the Rainforest with lightning and thunder effects and even ate all her lunch for the first time ever) and numerous tube stations (!!!!) ... the Rhino was still the highlight of her day, especially when Anna noticed that he had red sandals on!!
Now this is the worrying bit. Anna is now able to name all 63 Rhino's, their location in Chester and what their number is, all off by heart. For example, we were going for a walk by the river one Sunday afternoon when I casually asked where the ice cream kiosk was. 'Next to number 58 Mummy. We can see the ice cream when we stand next to Lawrence' said Anna. James and I just nodded in a patronizing way. Sure enough, Lawrence the Rhino was stood next to the Ice Cream kiosk and his number was 58! We have only visited the riverside Rhino's once so she must have remembered it from reading her Rhino Guidebook each and every morning (whilst giving me the update!)
Anna has given them all personalities too. She informs me that Buzz, the Baby Rhino is quite shy and his Mummy, 'Fleur' goes to look after him when all the visitors have gone home.
She can also read all her numbers to 116 and many street names in Chester. She is also amazing at reading maps. Forget GPS, all you need is Anna Gibson if you ever get lost in Chester!
She has also got to know each and every staff member working in the restaurants, tourist attractions, shops and other amenities where Rhino’s hang out. In fact, in one restaurant, they had sneakily put the Rhino in the back of their establishment (Most display them in windows. They don’t want a 3 year old causing chaos in Marco Pierre Whites restaurant!!). I was just explaining to Anna that we may not be able to see this particular Rhino (located at the back of the restaurant) when the manageress happened to walk out.
‘Hello’ said Anna. ‘Have you got a Rhino in there? Please may I see it?’
I have to admit that I was now acting like the embarrassed teenager while Anna took the role of pushy parent.
The manageresses just smiled and said ‘For being such a polite young lady, come in’.
I shuffled in, dressed in my cropped trousers and scruffy flip flops while Anna said ‘Thank you very much’ and casually saunters up to the back of the restaurant with the Manageress (who I later find out is called Emma). 10 minutes later and I wonder whether Emma has got Anna washing dishes so go and find her (It is one of those dark restaurants with atmospheric lighting and mood music). Emma and Anna are discussing Indian culture (The Rhino was decorated to celebrate Indian culture after the school had been studying this as a topic). Emma informs me that I have a lovely young girl and tells me to help myself to a drink. When I return, Anna is telling Emma all about the other Rhino’s in other restaurants. ‘I think Bindi likes being in this restaurant. It smells yummy but he is not very good at seeing in the dark. You need to put the lights on and blow the candles out’ reflects Anna. Thankfully, Emma laughed. After Anna had given the manageress her review of her restaurant, I thought it was time to leave but not before Emma told Anna to go back in 10 years’ time and she would give her a weekend job as ‘front of house’. I am going to hold them to that!
I think’ Rhino Mania’ has helped Anna in lots of ways. Her social skills have really developed and, because, we have often had to ask about where the Rhinos are in each place, Anna has got really polite and confident in asking. She does not hesitate to go up to the snotty stuck-up girl in the posh boutique and enquire as to where the Rhino is and I was very proud of her when she then went back to her at the end and said ‘Thank you. I saw the Rhino in your shop. He was lovely, Thank You for letting me see him” Suddenly the girl smiled and was very chatty. I think I should take some lesson’s form Anna!
However, tragedy struck today as Rhino Mania has come to an end. I had explained to Anna that the Rhino's had to go home and they had only come to visit Chester for the summer holidays but I think reality hit home today. In each location where a Rhino once stood, Anna was visibly dismayed at the sight of an empty space. 'Where has Regal Rhino gone?' Anna uttered, trying hard to fight the tears. Anna couldn’t understand why anyone would want to leave Chester and, more importantly, her!
Luckily, I had a plan B. 58 of the Rhinos are being auctioned for Charity and there is a Gala event being held at the Racecourse. Tickets are £45 each so we won't be going to that. However, in the 3 days leading up to this, there is a preview of the Rhino's, all shiny and polished, which anyone can attend. Therefore, I had explained to Anna that this will be the Rhino's leaving party and a chance for her to say 'Goodbye'. Anna is now beside herself with excitement. In fact, she seems more excited about this than ever. Each morning, she asks when the party is and what party dress she can wear.
However, I have gone one step further! Bank of America (James' employers) are actually hosting the event (They like to do their bit for Charity as it gets them into the council's good books and then they can build all over designated green space!!) and a friend of mine told me how employees can volunteer at the Gala event. Now I thought this would be an ideal opportunity to ensure the Rhino's went to a good home. I also thought it would give me some 'inside information' on where the Rhino's end up. So I bullied James into volunteering. At first he wasn't keen but I did use the emotional blackmail line about how he would be doing it for Anna. (It also may prove useful if I ever have to send begging letters asking if my daughter can come and visit the Rhino's because she is having withdrawal symptoms!). This didn't seem to work and he accused ME of being rather obsessed with the Rhino's and using my daughter as a cover! He may have had a point. However, I then pointed out that if he went for a job as a 'telephone bidder', he could actually get to bid thousands of pounds of other people's money (some of the Rhinos are predicted to go for £10,000 plus!). This seemed to appeal to him and, I am delighted to say that he successfully won a place as a telephone bidder. This means that, on the evening of the 5th October, dressed in formal black tie, my husband will be at the Rhino Gala event at Chester Racecourse with a telephone stuck to his ear as he is asked to bid £10,000 on a plastic Rhino! Life can be surreal at times!
With hindsight, Rhino obsession may have taken over the Gibson household this summer. However, it has meant that we have walked miles and miles on the hunt for them, seen so many new places in Chester and got to know more about our hometown, Anna has become an expert at reading maps, memorising numbers and getting to know landmarks of Chester and we have had lots of fun!
Rhinos have dominated our whole summer. In fact, Anna is now asking whether she can have a Rhino themed birthday party. I fear that, even though Rhino Mania may have come to an end with the passing of summer, Rhino Mania may not have finished in this household quite yet!
