As you can imagine, a doughnut-shaped nest, for even a toddler
apatosaurus, is not the size of the bakery doughnuts with which you and
I are familiar. Alexandra's doughnut-shaped nest was about ten feet
across. The model had eighteen-inch diameter inflated tubes that
enclosed a soft brown plastic floor.
When children touring the museum saw Alexandra's nest they rushed to
climb the tube, jump down inside, and land hard on the soft plastic floor.
With hundreds of jumping children each day, four or five at a time, the
soft plastic soon scuffed and frequently needed repair. Alexandra didn't
care to see her nest abused like that, and I felt sympathy for her.
Fortunately, I was able to help; my job was to be the museum's official
Fixer of the Apatosaurus Nest's Floor. My tools and supplies were a
large roll of aluminum-colored adhesive tape, a tape measure and shears.
Twice each day I inspected and repaired Alexandra's nest.
'Stand back for one moment, please.' I would say as I approached and
identified myself to the jumpers. 'It is time to inspect the dinosaur's nest.'
The youngsters gathered round as I removed my shoes, stepped across
the inflated tube into the nest, lowered to my knees, bent, and carefully
inspected the nest's floor.
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