Fumigator
09-07-2007, 06:00 PM
Sometimes these "heartwarming" stories are a bit too sappy for me but
this one is truly interesting...
In 1986, Mikele Mebembe 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 Mikele 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, Mikele 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. Mikele stood frozen, thinking of nothing else but
being trampled. Eventually the elephant trumpeted loudly, turned, and
walked away. Mikele never forgot that elephant or the events of that
day.
Twenty years later, Mikele 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 Mikele and his son Tapu
were standing. The large bull elephant stared at Mikele, 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, Mikele couldn't help wondering if
this was the same elephant. Mikele 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 Mikele's legs
and slammed him against the railing, killing him instantly. Probably
wasn't the same elephant.
this one is truly interesting...
In 1986, Mikele Mebembe 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 Mikele 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, Mikele 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. Mikele stood frozen, thinking of nothing else but
being trampled. Eventually the elephant trumpeted loudly, turned, and
walked away. Mikele never forgot that elephant or the events of that
day.
Twenty years later, Mikele 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 Mikele and his son Tapu
were standing. The large bull elephant stared at Mikele, 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, Mikele couldn't help wondering if
this was the same elephant. Mikele 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 Mikele's legs
and slammed him against the railing, killing him instantly. Probably
wasn't the same elephant.