That man and that elephant had a genuine affection for each other. You could see it in her eyes when she looked at him and how she preferred to be near him.

She was a youngster and came to a little over his shoulder height, a brownish gray creature with 2 inch eyelashes.

Their eyes are tiny compared to the size of the head so at first glance they look dim to us humans. But intelligence blazed out of this one's.

As he walked around her and talked to the curious coveralled on-lookers, the close-up kids and the sundry other's gathered, he would pat her sides or fondle her ears and she would respond to lightly touch him on the shoulder or on his back with that "finger" on the end of her trunk.

Once she even "messed up his hair" just like a parent would fondly tousle a child.

You can't but wonder about the backstory. How does a man come to be with an adolescent pachyderm and a truck & trailer "touring" the fairgrounds and super market parking lots? Poker game with pirates? Last man standing from a defunct circus?

Probably not an intended career. No idea - didn't ask but it must have been interesting. I enjoy the speculation.

I do know he was a good man. Critters are excellent judges of character - elephants even more elevated and aware than others (my intuition tells me this) and this guy was obviously beloved by his partner.


This happened 2 million years ago when I was young and working at Publix Market "Where shopping is a Pleasure" in Vero Beach FL.

It was my first legit "on-paper" with W-2s job. A month before I had a significant celebration - my 16th pass around the sun.

"Happy Birthday - Get a Job!" was the directive. So I did.

It was a word of mouth kind of thing in a small FL town in the 60s. I was "sweet on" a young lady on the beach side of town and her dad was a jewelry salesman.

There was a Jewelry shop next door to Publix Market and her dad and the grocery manager were lunch buddies.

Pop dropped a good word for me and I went in and did the formalities and got hired.

It was a good job though they start everybody on the schlep line with chores down & dirty - I guess to see if the newbies can take it. (some didn't)

After a few weeks of scraping gum off the floor with a sideways box cutter, sweeping, mopping, cleaning bathrooms, washing the windows that ran the length of the storefront, etc. I got bumped up the pole to be trained as a bagboy. (next step up the corporate climb from schlepper).

In those days (yeah, I know, can't believe how much I say that) you could still acquire tips and you could still "pop" the paper bags open before filling them.

You grab a flat 50lb bag off the stack by one corner of the open end and quickly trace an arch in the air - it opens with a neatly cornered bottom and a very satisfying audible "pop". (no such thing as the Walmart-type extruded film bag floating around the air or stuck in the trees for years to come)

Saturday mornings @ 10:00 o clock, every register cranking sales, you could hear them bags 'apoppin, a diminishing perspective chorus line of elbows working the air as the bagboys - bag all the way down cashier row.

Couple that vision with the smell of fresh ground coffee (each register had a grinder) and you have my perfect Americana Saturday a.m. on the job.

And the tips! Oh Yeah! During Christmas Holidays, we bagboys took home more dough than the manager.

After a few hours work, your pockets would become bulging coin bags and we would have to empty them before they rip out and convert to foldy money several times a shift. Those days are gone too.

Well, apparently I had scrapped my gum, cleaned my bathrooms, & bagged my groceries, etc. with sufficient zeal to be bumped up to the Produce Dept. This job had several varied chores and was way less repetitive - more fun.

I loved the smells and the freshness and turnover of the produce - never saw a tarantula - though I was warned to watch the banana bunches. I also liked "clean" and my produce manager was a clean freak. We got along.

This particular Saturday morning I was mopping the customer floor of the produce dept. to reveal a shine you could eat from (wax job - my doing) with a classic square pyramid of oranges on one side and another of apples across the aisle.

Feeling somewhat satisfied with finishing my chore, I looked up and out the plate glass (the whole front of the store was window) to see a crowd gathered at the far end of the parking lot.

Curious, I took a momentary break, leaned on my mop and peered way out there trying to figure what the attraction was...

Then I saw her - an adolescent elephant.

Her handler was speechifying and giving slow rides within a 100ft. radius portable fenced circle. The kids who rode were ecstatic. (only a few adults dared)

The creature looked perfectly gentle though big enough to displace anything. She was a little over 5 ft. high and I guessed @ 400/500 lbs.

I watched with fascination for a while, then went back to work but stopped every so often to check out the show.

My lunch break came about and I had decided to bring the critter a present. I found a couple heads of cabbage - not spoiled but not pretty enough any more to sell at Publix. Bought them at cost from the produce manager and thought I'd carry them out to the scene in the parking lot.

I walk to the arena where a circuit ride had just been completed by two young’uns - looked like brother & sister and their eyes were still wide and wonderful. Looking at each other like they couldn't believe what just happened.

As I slowly approached, the elephant noticed me and the man saw that I was carrying veggies.

They both ambled over towards me - he was smiling - I couldn't tell about her. They got closer and I began to hold out my gifts. I extended to full arm’s length just as she arrived directly in front of me.

She looked bigger.

Out, over the temporary barricade fence and up comes the trunk and it lightly touches my pants - I get a momentary tiny flash of fear. (I'm a 16 year old guy here!)

As if an independent creature, the trunk "taps" & "dusts" over my pockets, up the zip, past the buckle (whew!) and slides up the button line of my shirt, reaches past the flap on my flannel pocket and takes an unopened pack of Pall-Malls out, does the graceful air to mouth arch and eats the cellophane & paper package whole!!

This critter just stole my cigarettes!

She is now obviously smiling. I looked confused and silly still holding two heads of cabbage at arms length while my thief is happily chewing the red paper wad into nothingness.

The man gently smiled at my maybe a little frightened, maybe a little surprised look and said "She just loves tobacco."

(no kidding ?!)


He also took the veggies and said she'd eat them later and thanks.

I remained a little while, mouth open, still a tiny bit stunned in the Florida breeze - going over in my head, what had just happened "in spite of my plans" and not really knowing I would remember it for life.

If it's the last thing I ever think of, I'll laugh out loud.

Hope you are having a wonder full Summer

Big Love to All!!