I’ve known dogs, and I’ve known cats; and I’ve been known by cats and by dogs.  Our dog Coty, actually doted on me from the time he came to live with us when he was six weeks old until he died of old age in my lap at the vet’s office.  He could hear my footsteps on the porch and know it was me coming and not some other person.  He would look me in the eyes and demand by the look to know that I was looking at just him and at no one else. K.C. the cat who lived with us for many years was more aloof and maybe a bit haughty definitely knew me and I knew him… Just like with Coty, K.C. and I knew each other, and we had ways of signaling to each other that the relationship was special. 

Until today, I had never been acknowledged by a turtle.  It happened.  I was walking along by the reflecting pool in Balboa Park and saw the turtle before it saw me.  A young woman was kneeling close behind it taking pictures.  The turtle was paying her no mind at all, but when she left I got down in front of it, and at first the head pulled back a little way into the shell; but then it saw me… really looked at me.  The head came out all the way and we were like that for a few minutes.  Other people were coming and going.  You know how that is.  We were there fully aware of each other.  I decided I should make the next move, so I turned away to let the turtle go back to doing whatever turtles do after a close encounter with another creature, a  strange big one like me hovering close for a few minutes.

I also won’t forget the water lilies.