Saturday, May 17, 2008

Advice from Valley's Mam

I often find nuggets of advice in the blogosphere - and found one today.

1 comment:

Dr. Christopher Wood said...

Glyn: as we are on the subject of nuggets and as nuggets kind of rhymes with nuts, and in view of your interest in preserving species, how about this excerpt from William Shatner's latest book "Up Till Now" where Shatner recalls his memorable meeting with Koko the gorilla.

“In 1988 to help the Gorilla Foundation encourage Californians to contribute to its Endangered Species Campaign I was permitted to visit Koko the gorilla in her quarters. Koko was an extraordinary animal who had learned to communicate with human beings. She was able to sign more than six hundred words, but more impressively, as her handlers told me, she understood the meaning of those words. She knew the signs for water and for bird and the first time she saw a duck landing on a lake she signed water bird.

Koko was obviously very intelligent. I was allowed to go into her compound, to enter a room with her all alone. As I walked into that room I was reminded that she was an imposing, powerful animal; smaller gorillas have been known to tear off men’s arms in anger. I am not often afraid, but truthfully I was frightened.

To deal with my fear of this magnificent animal as I got closer and closer to her I found myself saying, “I love you, Koko. I love you.” I said it earnestly and honestly and I looked directly in her eyes as I spoke.

Over and over I repeated, “I love you, Koko, I love you.” And as I said it, I began to feel that love. Finally I stopped directly in front of her and looked into her deep brown eyes and saw her furrowed brow and her enormous hands. I love you, Koko.

And with that she reached out and grabbed me by my balls.

And looked me right in the eyes.

Her handler at the far end of the room said, “Stand very still. She wants you to go to her bedroom.”

Meanwhile, in the adjoining compound a young gorilla who they hoped would mate with Koko was pounding on the door like a jealous husband.

There I was, caught in the eternal triangle, with a gorilla holding onto my rapidly shrinking scrotum …”