Just because the plight of the Lesser Crested Boobie is not as widely known as, say, the event schedule of your local fete, doesn’t mean he is any the less important. The same could also be said of the Three-Horned Armadillo of the Upper West Side, Lower Chiitagano Heights in Northern Bolivia. All have problems, and all are as important to the individual as the priorities and worries of others. Just because we don’t know about it or don’t see it, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.
Take Bruce, for example: an outward-going, friendly Tree Elephant from Cleveland, England. He struggles terribly with identity problems. Every day, for hours, he hangs motionless from the branches of large Oak trees, minding his own business. But as he hangs there, his mind wanders hither and thither, trying to work out why all elephants aren’t hanging from the nearest tree, and why they don’t include him in their local band practice. Surely, they can all see the benefits, and it’s not that hard, with a little practice, to hang upside down from a branch while tooting the latest hit on his trunk? He ponders this and other life questions while also smiling bravely, hoping that his branch doesn’t give way like the last one!
No one stops to talk to Bruce. You would think someone would notice—you can’t exactly miss him—but no; not a soul. Every now and again, like a whisper of wind, he sighs deeply. The leaves around him shuffle slightly and appear to be the only thing noticing his presence. It’s not that he is not a nice elephant. Only last week, while attempting a tree crossover, he came upon a Seven-Banded Jumping Spider from Dorset who had got lost while hitching a ride to the annual long jump and stick vaulting championships in Germany. A pleasant conversation took place, and the spider was soon put back on the right path—well, almost! Northern Canada is nice this time of year anyway! Geography was never Bruce’s strong point. The point is, he was only too willing to help and interact, to smile and be happy. The spider, by way of a thank you, helped with his precarious tree crossover by cleverly spinning a few lines of silk to hold on to. Everyone happy.
Once Bruce was on the other side and had carefully positioned himself on a suitable branch, alone again, his thoughts returned to how nice the interaction was and how he wished for more of the same. Preferably, another Tree Elephant who understood the perils of his life, but also the good things; someone who had an understanding of what it meant to be him, and just accepted him for what he was. We are all different. We all suffer or otherwise in our own, very unique ways, but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy, show, and share happiness and love. Bruce may be a little different in his behaviours and mannerisms from other, well-known elephants, such as Godalming George from Barnsley who regularly hangs from branches wearing a tutu made of dandelions (very strange!), but that doesn’t mean to say he is any the less important and should be avoided. On the contrary, he should be embraced and included, and of course, asked how the hell he can hang from a tree!?