“Zippy has been on top of the Capital One Bowl for the last three weeks, and hasn’t lost a week yet. So Wednesday, I sought out an interview with her. Not knowing if she had an office or where I could find her on campus, I started off in Buchtel Hall. After learning that Zippy doesn’t hold an office on campus, I was frustrated.”
“

Zippy has been on top of the Capital One Bowl for the last three weeks, and hasn’t lost a week yet.

So Wednesday, I sought out an interview with her.

Not knowing if she had an office or where I could find her on campus, I started off in Buchtel Hall.

After learning that Zippy doesn’t hold an office on campus, I was frustrated.

Where on campus could this kangaroo be?

Luckily, there was a Rock the Roo event on Wednesday at E.J. Thomas Hall.

Surely Zippy will be there, I thought.

Upon arriving, Zippy was nowhere to be found.

Is Zippy going to be here? I asked a woman wearing a blue Rock the Roo T-shirt.

He should be, maybe later. We’re just getting started.

He? Zippy is a she, as everyone should know. Surprising, maybe, but the truth.

About 10 minutes later, Zippy arrived on the scene.

Zippy! Zippy! I cried. Can I get an interview? I’d like to talk to you about the contest you’re in.

Zippy just nodded her head and gave me an excited thumbs-up. She didn’t say anything, so I went on to my first question.

So how do you feel about being in first place after three weeks of the contest?

She jumped up and down, gave another thumbs-up and wrapped me in a hug.

Wondering why she didn’t speak, I asked another question.

Are you confident you can beat the other mascots?

Zippy brushed the dirt off of her shoulder, then allowed me to squeeze her biceps.

She seems pretty strong, in case you were wondering. I don’t know about the other mascots, but Zippy isn’t one you’d want to mess with.

Halfway into the Capital One Bowl, Zippy is on top of the voting by about 3,500 votes. There are three weeks left in the contest.

Back at Rock the Roo, I was still perplexed as to why Zippy couldn’t speak. She walked around, pointed, gave thumbs-up, even threw a peace sign my way. If she understood those things, why couldn’t she speak?

As I left, the truth hit me.

Zippy may be our mascot, and she may be able to brush off her shoulder, but she’s still a kangaroo.

And kangaroos cannot speak.

This realization hit me like when my mother told me there was no Santa Claus. Or when I realized that if there was no Santa Claus, there probably wasn’t an Easter Bunny, either.

Now I sit at home, watching National Geographic, voting for Zippy online and crying softly.

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” #1.1361428:4225334225.jpg:20071004_zippy_kc.jpg:Zippy is currently battling for a spot in the quarterfinals of the Capital One Bowl Mascot Challenge.:”