And Then There Were Four

As most of you know, I hike a lot in Trexler Nature Preserve. Many of my hikes take me past the elk area of the preserve. Indeed, while steep, the Elk Watching Trail is one of my favorite trails there. There are always five elk in the many acred, hilly, grassy enclosure. I’ve come to know them quite well. That is a bit of an exaggeration because I can’t even tell them apart. But I know they like the highest point of the enclosure best and that on hot sunny days they will likely be found in the valley next to the stream that goes through their home. I rarely see them on the move, though in winter I can see their tracks in the snow all over the enclosure. I have been known to talk to the elk on occasion, wishing them a lovely day or warning them about the afternoon’s predicted oppressive heat. Yes, at times, I am a bit of a Dr. Doolittle. As of yet, the elk have not talked back.

I mentioned there are always five elk. Two days ago, something was amiss. And then there were four. A missing elk. I searched high and low within the enclosure, thinking it may be sick and avoiding infecting the others. But she was nowhere to be found. The five were always together, and now there are four.

I’ve tried to think positively about the situation. Perhaps she is sick, or pregnant, and she is being kept in isolation. Perhaps she was sold to another zoo. Maybe she is on the road as the zoo sometimes takes animals to parties and classrooms. It’s been a few days now and she has not returned. Perhaps, sadly, she has died.

This is another example of the things you think will always be the same, can change or disappear in an instant. Surely there will always be Plymouths and Oldsmobiles. Surely baseball will always be America’s number one sport. Surely there will always be Sears and Kmart. I know, I know, I should stop calling you Shirley!

It’s also a reminder to appreciate what you have. The places around you, the things you own, and, most importantly, the people in your life. I wonder if the remaining elk miss their missing friend, as much as I miss people that I thought would always be in my life. Maybe the real Dr. Doolittle could answer that question. Unfortunately, it will remain a mystery to me.