One day, as a young boy, Mkele Mbembe was walking down a trail in his native Kenya. Suddenly, he became aware of a nearby presence. He turned, and saw a huge bull elephant not 20 feet away. Seized with fear, he froze. The enormous animal fixed him with a gaze, and slowly lifted his left front foot off the ground. He put it down, and lifted it again, twice more, and on the third time, held it off the ground.
"I wonder if it wants me to look at its foot," thought Mkele.
Slowly, Mkele walked toward the elephant, until he could see that there was a huge thorn embedded in its foot. Trembling with fear, he grasped the thorn and pulled. The mighty beast put his foot down gingerly, and then once again looked Mkele in the eye, trumpeted, and ran off into the jungle.
Decades later, Mkele had moved to the United States, and married and had children. He took the family to the zoo to show them the wildlife he had grown up with. While looking at the elephant enclosure, he noticed a huge bull elephant that seemed to be watching him. As Mkele looked, the elephant slowly lifted his foot off the ground three times, and trumpeted. Mkele was amazed! Could this be the same elephant that he had helped so many years ago? He impulsively jumped over the fence and ran to the elephant. The elephant grabbed Mkele with his trunk, and smashed him into the ground until he was dead.
It probably wasn't the same elephant.
"I wonder if it wants me to look at its foot," thought Mkele.
Slowly, Mkele walked toward the elephant, until he could see that there was a huge thorn embedded in its foot. Trembling with fear, he grasped the thorn and pulled. The mighty beast put his foot down gingerly, and then once again looked Mkele in the eye, trumpeted, and ran off into the jungle.
Decades later, Mkele had moved to the United States, and married and had children. He took the family to the zoo to show them the wildlife he had grown up with. While looking at the elephant enclosure, he noticed a huge bull elephant that seemed to be watching him. As Mkele looked, the elephant slowly lifted his foot off the ground three times, and trumpeted. Mkele was amazed! Could this be the same elephant that he had helped so many years ago? He impulsively jumped over the fence and ran to the elephant. The elephant grabbed Mkele with his trunk, and smashed him into the ground until he was dead.
It probably wasn't the same elephant.
