I sent a letter—yeah, like an actual letter that you put in the mailbox—to an old lady whom I believe was the original owner of our bus. I’m hoping she gets back to me and says she’s got a box full of old photos that I am welcome to have. And also that she shares a few fun stories with us. And I’m also hoping that she does this by telegram.
Damn, I just found out that Western Union discontinued telegram service in 2006. I wonder what the very last telegram ever sent said?
“MUST CANCEL THURSDAY NIGHT—(STOP)—I THINK WIFE IS ON TO US—(STOP)—USE GMAIL INSTEAD OF WESTERN UNION”
Anyway, I think it’d be pretty cool to get in touch with the lady who was tooling around in this with her husband back in 1966.
Took the kids to the Como Zoo and Conservatory today. Every time we visit a zoo we’re torn by it. On the one hand we feel terrible for the animals who live their lives in jail. On the other hand we get the chance to be up close to animals that we otherwise may never see. Watching a polar bear swim and play—then reading and watching interactive displays detailing their plight in the Arctic and the threats that they face—is enough to change the way you think, both about zoos and about the way we are treating our earth and its inhabitants. I don’t think we’ll ever visit an animal in a cage and not be pulled at from both sides.
7 Comments on “Sending a Letter”
I agree that there are mixed feelings about seeing animals in cages etc. But most Zoos are doing better and better at trying to give the animals a good habitat and not just the four walls of a cell. Lots of studies have been done to create ongoing enrichments to get the animals to be more active doing things they may do naturally in the wild. Also if not for Zoos, how would some people be educated as to the demise that we have/ and are putting our environment through. Zoos and such also have been very important in breeding and re-introducing animals that are endangered back into the wild. A lot of Zoos and animal parks around the world are also very important for rehab and release programs. But, you still can be watching an animal at a Zoo and just wonder,,,,,,what would it be doing right now if it were back in the wild.
Do you feel the same way about pets in someone’s home? That they’d be better off in the wild?
I always watch those documentaries about polar bears with their cubs and do the mental calculation — if each bear has two cubs every two years and lives long enough for four litters, then they have 8 children. And if the population is stable, six out of the eight are going to die.
The math is worse for other animals. The more prolific they are, the worse the odds of growing up are for those cute kids.
Zoo life isn’t so bad when you consider that!
Perhaps the last Western Union Telegram was addressed to employees:
THANK YOU BUT YOUR SERVICES WILL NO LONGER BE REQUIRED. THIS DOCUMENT CAN ALSO BE USED AS A LETTER OF REFERENCE. BTW, GOOGLE IS HIRING. THANKS AND GOOD LUCK. DON’T LET THE DOOR HIT YOU….
Regarding zoos: Not such a bad life. Three squares a day, all the water they can drink and predators are kept at bay. Some days are probably better than the real world. In fact, this might be very similar to my back up retirement plan – Federal Prison. Again, three squares a day, FREE healthcare, heat and AC, exercise facilities, cable TV, library, etc. Rob a bank for $1 and the plan is all yours.
Mark and Cindy
Pat & Mark, you guys crack me up!
I feel the same when I visit a zoo. I would love to visit that garden on a cold winter’s day, you lucky ducks!
I hope you hear back from the original owners of the bus. We purchased a 1973 Alberg 37 in the fall and have made contact with two of the previous owners , who owned the boat for a total of 30 years. It’s pretty cool to learn the history of a sailboat that has managed to stay in great shape through 40 years. It’s like owning a piece of history.
Unfortunately the letter came back today. Undeliverable. Unable to Forward. My heart sank a little bit. I didn’t realize how excited I was by the prospect of speaking with her about the bus. If anybody knows what happened to Eileen Smith of 24th Street in Marion, Iowa, let me know.