slow down, you're moving too fast
Every once in a while, if I time it right, and I'm really lucky, and I actually go out for a run, when I'm going along the river path by my house, I pass a turtle. A big one. That's probably older than my mom.
This is not the kind of animal one is accustomed to seeing while running. Especially not in a major city. At least he's wearing booties (which is more than we can say for Barefoot Jeff some days)!
He ambles along very very slowly behind his friend, an old man who I think secretly likes the attention. They do make a cute old pair, though. I imagine a Simon and Garfunkel song playing in the background whenever I see them.
I have about ten thousand questions for this man about how this human-turtle friendship came to be, but the language barrier limited me to "sumimasen" while pointing at my camera in a "can I take pictures of your funny pet?" questioning tone. As you can see in typical man fashion, they don't stand too close to each other so as not to appear as if they actually came together. I bet they leave a seat open between them at the movies too.
Also, is this even a turtle? Has anyone ever seen a crazier pet in a big city?
4 comments:
not to brag, but the other day, i ran past that turtle 5 times before it walked 100 yards down that lane to the park.
don't get to cocky. Sounds like the old tortouse and hare story. I'm sure that the turtle has walked for a lot longer than you have been running!
Your friend is apparently quite far from home as he appears to be a native of sub-Saharan region. This tortoise is one of the largest tortoise species, but not one of the longest lived (although you are probably right that this guy is likely to be about my age). For more informaion about the African Spur-thigh Tortoise:
http://www.rainforest-pets.com/spur-thigh.htm
If you are interested in obtaining your own running companion (they max at about 0.17 mph) I found one listed on Craig's list:
http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/ram/pet/1490310520.html
Hi, newly-weds! The turtle story remind me of a French poet who used to walk his "pet" lobster on a leash. Check to see if this guy is really a Frenchman in disguise.
Your blog is delightful.
Rosalie Krajci (Couldn't attend your wedding; was in the emergency room.)
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