Toby's Getaway

January 2^nd

Today’s the first day anything here really felt like home. Because of the biting 26 degrees, that is. Every month on the first Saturday is Visitor’s Day for the sanctuary, which brought in 200 people last month, but only 15 this month. We went about our daily duties, letting everyone out early so that the visitors could goggle at the enormity of the animals they came to see. Amy and Bets (mom and daughter) were let out into their yard for the first time in a while, because Bets is still young (2) and very sensitive to the cold. They’ve been cooped up for a while now, and Bets was happy as a pig in mud, or I suppose an elephant in mud, to finally be outdoors. She puts her trunk everywhere. I think it’s similar to a baby’s oral fixation stage, where everything must be explored orally—hands, toes, fingers, toys, etc. So, Bets is always shoving her trunk in her mouth, wagging it at whoever’s closest to the cage, and bothering poor mom. She’s got crazy eyes, wide with an inquisitiveness that even the electric fence can’t hold back. Today she waggled her trunk at Turk while she was hosing down the enclosure until she came over. Bets held up her trunk, and opened her mouth wide to receive a nice tongue scratch. Apparently it’s the equivalent of a neck rub. Toby loves them too. The watermelon we got yesterday ended up going to Toby, as Bets would get her birthday popsicle tomorrow. Toby’s septum in his trunk was cut when he was younger, or he was born that way, meaning he can pick up bigger things and shove more in his mouth at once. Which is exactly what he did. Turk set the watermelon down in his pen and he stood obediently away in the corner until Turk gave the alright. He trotted over to the fruit and fondled it with excitement, finding the best way to grasp on. He then found his grip, picked up the watermelon and put the whole thing in his mouth. Gone. Absolutely gone. And man was his smile big; the first one I’ve seen from him so far. He was lovin’ it. Later on, it proved to be Toby’s lucky day indeed. Man was he getting a break. All of the elephants were in their enclosures, but Toby was out. As we backed up the blue truck to head back to the cookhouse Stacey gasped.

“What?” I said, looking over my shoulder where her gaze was directed. Toby was out of his enclosure. It was visitor’s day, and an elephant was loose. Oh joy.

“Toby’s out! Shit!” She half whispered, half yelled. We all froze.

“Call Turk!” I said. Stacey fumbled with her phone, dialing Turk’s number. Two minutes later Turk came sprinting to the enclosure, where the gate was wide open.

“Who in the hell left that open?” Stacey said, wide-eyed. Heidi, one of the owners, was with Turk, and went to close the gate. We all ended up smiling, letting out one huge, simultaneous breath of relief. The best part about it? Toby left his enclosure, stood outside the gate for a second, looked around, and went back in. I’m pretty sure he didn’t even realize what he’d missed. He was a bit dopey like that. That’s why he’s my favorite. He’s simple.

While that was a highlight of the day, there was an even better moment to be had. Usually the interns don’t get near the elephants. Only trainers are allowed in the cages, leaving interns as curious bystanders. Today Turk and Johnny coaxed Gail and I into Amy and Bets’ cage to clean Amy. They handed us each a brush as Johnny held onto Amy’s tusk to steady her, and we scrubbed away. I peeled off my gloves after a while, realizing that this may be the only chance I get to feel their skin. I used my left hand to brace myself on her stomach as I scrubbed her side, and couldn’t help but smile. Their skin is nothing like they say. You expect it to be rough, have no give, feel like a thick layer of callous. Her side felt like soft leather, and when you leaned into her you could feel the flesh under your hand give way to your weight. Sure, they’re thick-skinned, but not like they say they are. It’s like this layer of sagging armor protecting an ocean of tender flesh beneath. Thick-skinned? Sure. Impenetrable? No way. Johnny told me to scrub hard with the steel brush, saying she couldn’t feel it, but I couldn’t help letting up on the pressure when I felt her skin. There’s no way she couldn’t feel that.