11 Comments
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Freeman Ng's avatar

A woman I never met before

told me she'd never

met me before, and had

no wish to ever. It was the one

perfect communication

in the history

of us.

Freeman Ng's avatar

I think they've already begun the territorial negotiations: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iberian_orca_attacks

"Beginning in 2020, a subpopulation of orcas (Orcinus orca) began ramming boats and attacking their rudders in waters off the Iberian Peninsula."

Martha Conway's avatar

Oh geez! Wow! Yeah, that’s a pretty clear “get out of here” signal.

Therese's avatar

This is so great, Martha. McDog!! And I am going to print out the quote from Friends and tack it onto my bulletin board.

CBC Radio has a "talk back" segment where they play people's comments on recent episodes. I hadn't heard the original episode, but it was about SETI and all sorts of things scientists were doing to communicate with the extraterrestrials. A man left a message saying that the program was interesting, but he thought there was a lot of intelligent life right here that we haven't figured out how to communicate--birds, dogs, horses, whales, and the whole of the natural world. I've never forgotten his comment and, I too would be just as interested to hear "Krill's here" as "Let me tell you the meaning of life" from a dog or a tree.

So much fun to read, Martha.

Martha Conway's avatar

There was an article in the New Yorker a while back about researchers recording the humpback whale “language” — they have names for each other, apparently!

Kate Farrell's avatar

A woman I never met before told me that spirit chefs advise her constantly with recipes and advice!

Martha Conway's avatar

I need one of those … :)

Mary B's avatar

McDog! I had to look it up and found him on the Ohio Outdoor Sculpture website, and then I checked out William M. McVey's other work. LOVE his polar bear at the Cleveland MetroParks' Zoo.

I love your writing prompts, Martha (and loved this post, too).

Writing Prompt: A woman I never met before told me … she knew exactly why I was there.

Martha Conway's avatar

Mary, thanks for looking up that sculpture and sculptor! I’m going to look at his polar bear now. This photo was taken near the Cleveland Art Museum and the Botanical Garden.

Mary B's avatar

Welcome! Love McVey's work - thanks for the intro!