The Dolphin Chronicles; Our First Encounter

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Beginnings |  Our First Encounter |  Mis-measure of Time
Blue Water Soundings |  Oceans of Light |  The Setting Sun

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I was walking on the beach on the Kona coast when suddenly I heard someone call my name. I looked up but I couldn't see anybody around. The voice called again and told me to look over here. The sound was coming from the water.

I looked past the breakers and I saw a very large dolphin looking at me with one eye.

Of course I was flabbergasted. How could this dolphin speak to me and how did he know my name?

As I asked these questions in my mind the dolphin answered them for me in my mind as well!

"I know your name because you think your sense of identity," said the dolphin. "I can speak to you because you can hear your own thoughts."

This I regarded as rather enigmatic. I asked out loud what the dolphin's name was. He responded out loud as well, but I could never spell his name here. It was a series of clicks and squeals.

In my mind he answered very softly. "It is difficult for the human tongue to wrap around a dolphin's name. My name in your language would sound something like Dinjinjibanna. But, please just call me Dolphin and I will call you Kona Joe."

"Why are you speaking to me", I asked?

"Do you ask that of every stranger who talks to you", asked the dolphin? "You know humans can be quite rude."

I apologized for my rudeness, but tried to explain I was so shocked a dolphin was speaking to me.

"Of course, said the dolphin. Humans always think they are the only ones with language. They think the same thing of art, emotions, etc. etc.. The list is endless. You know humans are animals on Earth much like myself or that seagull over there. The problem is you think you are so unique, so special."

"The reason I am talking to you is because I might like to get to know you. I might like to be your friend. You might even learn a whole new point of view by becoming my friend", said the dolphin.

Of course I was delighted at the prospect of being friends with a fish! "Excuse me, said the Dolphin, but I am not a fish. I am a mammal much like yourself. We dolphins breathe air, are warm-blooded, bear live babies, and suckle our young."

"As a matter of fact, even though we do not possess your opposable thumb, we do possess a brain that is many times larger than yours. All of the extra weight is found in the cerebral cortex. I believe you humans call that gray matter. It is supposed to be what separates you from the lower animals."

"Did you know, continued the Dolphin, that right know I can see into your body. With my sonar I can see the blood pumping through your heart and around your body. As a matter of fact, I detect an injury in your left shoulder. And by the way, you have a kidney stone in your left kidney. Its pretty small so it should pass with no pain."

Well of course I was flabbergasted. I apologized profusely for calling him a fish, and thanked him for the diagnosis. As a matter of fact I had torn my shoulder last week in a rather painful wipeout.

As I wondered what else I might learn from this most amazing mammal, I looked up and he was gone. I scanned the horizon hoping to see him. Instead a thought entered my mind. "I will see you again on the waves"

I knew I would come back every day to this same place, and I knew in my heart he would be there.

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Beginnings |  Our First Encounter |  Mis-measure of Time
Blue Water Soundings |  Oceans of Light |  The Setting Sun

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