The Memory of an Elephant

by Alex Lasker

Elephant calves will not sleep without an adult figure nearby—even human, if that’s all there is—and they’ll look up constantly to make sure someone is with them. The longing in a young elephant’s eyes is haunting, and the attachment between the two species quickly becomes profound, sometimes even more so for the humans.

When things are going well, embrace the days, because they never last for long. A dark wind is always waiting over the horizon, and it can come racing down the plains at any moment.

I have made the journey I promised myself I would. I have seen the friends I needed to see, and I am content. My only regret is leaving my closest two-legger friend behind without waking him to say goodbye, but I know he will understand. I would die defending his life, as I know he would die defending mine. That is the sign of a true friendship in my eyes.

I can see back through time as if it was yesterday. As I said to you at the beginning, all I wanted was to find my home and bid my old friends farewell. I have done that now, and I am free to go.