about shark fins and elephants . . .
RJ,
I have to relate a rather sad story about shark fins. We have our share in the gulf and I decided to jump into peddling shark fins to the Asian guys. They want the dorsal fin that stands up on the shark's back for the properties of an afrodisiac. Problem is these only come one to the shark. There are other fins on a shark too and I decided that if I peddled a few ventral fins to these guys most of the dummies wouldn't know the difference. Sales were booming and I was getting three fins from every shark. Unfortunately there was a major backlash from my customers. Seems the problem was dorsal fins stand up, ventral fins hang down . . . . . Another promising enterprise shot to hell!
I did read a touching report about an elephant awhile back. Sometimes these 'heartwarming' stories are a bit too sappy
for me but this one is truly interesting...
In 1986, Peter Davies was on holiday in Kenya after graduating from
Northwestern University.
On a hike through the bush, he came across a young bull elephant
standing with one leg raised in the air. The elephant seemed
distressed,
so Peter approached it very carefully.
He got down on one knee and inspected the elephant's foot and found a
large piece of wood deeply embedded in it. As carefully and as gently
as he could, Peter worked the wood out with his hunting knife, after
which
the elephant gingerly put down its foot. The elephant turned to face
the man, and with a rather curious look on its face, stared at him for
several tense moments.
Peter stood frozen, thinking of nothing else but being trampled.
Eventually the elephant trumpeted loudly, turned, and walked away.
Peter never forgot that elephant or the events of that day.
Twenty years later, Peter was walking through the Chicago Zoo with his
teenaged son. As they approached the elephant enclosure, one of the
creatures turned and walked over to near where Peter and his son
Cameron were standing.
The large bull elephant stared at Peter, lifted its front foot off the
ground, then put it down.
The elephant did that several times then trumpeted loudly, all the
while staring at the man.
Remembering the encounter in 1986, Peter couldn't help wondering if
this was the same elephant. Peter summoned up his courage, climbed
over the
railing and made his way into the enclosure.
He walked right up to the elephant and stared back in wonder.
The elephant trumpeted again, wrapped its trunk around one of Peter
legs and slammed his stupid body against the railing, killing him instantly.
Probably wasn't the same elephant.
RJ,
I have to relate a rather sad story about shark fins. We have our share in the gulf and I decided to jump into peddling shark fins to the Asian guys. They want the dorsal fin that stands up on the shark's back for the properties of an afrodisiac. Problem is these only come one to the shark. There are other fins on a shark too and I decided that if I peddled a few ventral fins to these guys most of the dummies wouldn't know the difference. Sales were booming and I was getting three fins from every shark. Unfortunately there was a major backlash from my customers. Seems the problem was dorsal fins stand up, ventral fins hang down . . . . . Another promising enterprise shot to hell!
I did read a touching report about an elephant awhile back. Sometimes these 'heartwarming' stories are a bit too sappy
for me but this one is truly interesting...
In 1986, Peter Davies was on holiday in Kenya after graduating from
Northwestern University.
On a hike through the bush, he came across a young bull elephant
standing with one leg raised in the air. The elephant seemed
distressed,
so Peter approached it very carefully.
He got down on one knee and inspected the elephant's foot and found a
large piece of wood deeply embedded in it. As carefully and as gently
as he could, Peter worked the wood out with his hunting knife, after
which
the elephant gingerly put down its foot. The elephant turned to face
the man, and with a rather curious look on its face, stared at him for
several tense moments.
Peter stood frozen, thinking of nothing else but being trampled.
Eventually the elephant trumpeted loudly, turned, and walked away.
Peter never forgot that elephant or the events of that day.
Twenty years later, Peter was walking through the Chicago Zoo with his
teenaged son. As they approached the elephant enclosure, one of the
creatures turned and walked over to near where Peter and his son
Cameron were standing.
The large bull elephant stared at Peter, lifted its front foot off the
ground, then put it down.
The elephant did that several times then trumpeted loudly, all the
while staring at the man.
Remembering the encounter in 1986, Peter couldn't help wondering if
this was the same elephant. Peter summoned up his courage, climbed
over the
railing and made his way into the enclosure.
He walked right up to the elephant and stared back in wonder.
The elephant trumpeted again, wrapped its trunk around one of Peter
legs and slammed his stupid body against the railing, killing him instantly.
Probably wasn't the same elephant.
