Three times I saw this humongous tortoise on the side of the road as I drove my daily work route. One day he was in the middle of a grassy field and people were all around him taking pictures. How curious, I thought, but I didn’t stop. Another time I saw him as I rushed back to work with my lunch. This time he was in the parking lot of the gas station on the corner and two old men were blocking him from crossing the busy highway. Again, people were taking pictures of him. Not your every day sort of thing in the city surrounding Charleston, SC for sure! My curiosity peaked and I remembered to mention this strange occurence to coworkers when I got back to the office. We wondered how such a creature was just wandering around and worried he would get hit by a car. On my way home that day he was still there at the gas station with the old guy standing by his side hours later. This time I became one of the curiosity seekers and stopped to take his picture. His two foot long frame and calm sauntering through the parking lot amazed me.
I really was worried some terrible fate would befall him in the big, wide civilized world of North Charleston so I asked the old man about him. As it turns out the tortoise is his pet and he takes him around the city in the nearby trailer he pointed out to me for people to see. He said he has an animal rescue and this is one of his rescues, an African tortoise. Of course, he accepts donations so I gave him some money and snapped a few pictures. I was glad he wasn’t lost anyway and in no danger of being hit by a car.
I do hope I have the ability to notice such unexpected surprises in the new year. I could really use a tortoise-paced 2013, slowing down enough to enjoy the simple things sauntering through my days. I wish the same for you! May we all be blessed with joyful surprises along the journey this year!
Snippets and Snatches 