Turtles Turtles Everywhere

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Turtles Turtles Everywhere

ELEPHANTS DO CRY

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ELEPHANTS DO CRY

Deadly Feud - excerpt from Chapter 3

It was Abram that the killer overheard telling Mark about his dad’s letters about life in Germany his dad had kept and that he was curious about them but would never ask his dad to show them to him. The killer suspected that Hansen had probably detailed those events years ago in those letters. Letters. He needed to get his hands on those letters. When the Hansen’s fled Germany he had also left behind a bank account. The account contained money he had earned from the Cotton Exchange. The killer knew about the account. He had worked briefly at the bank and was there when Hansen had opened the account. Those accounts had not been seized as a part of the Nazi money grab of funds, mostly Jewish funds. They still sat there after all these years. There would be a small fortune. Hansen owed him. After all, he had not turned him into the Party for being rebellious and fleeing the fatherland. The killer had served in the Nazi army, believing in Hitler’s solution for Germany. He had grown quite a “taste” for killing while in the army, Jews especially. He was brutal, unforgiving, and took every opportunity to steal anything he could get his hands on. Why not, the Jews had plenty of riches to steal particularly jewelry. When the war was over, many of the officers were being tried for war crimes. He had escaped any punishment as he had been careful not to have his crimes uncovered. All the booty he had stolen was buried in a local farmer’s field up against the tree line. Out of sight from prying eyes. He had never married, taking out his pleasures on local prostitutes instead. He had quite the reputation for being sadistic. The local women shuddered when they saw him coming, usually pushing the new girls up front to be selected rather than to be subjected to his savagery. There had even been a couple of girls go missing through his inhumane treatment of them, but of course no one cared so he was never caught.

Racism is everywhere

I grew up in the south – the deep south of the US, where racism was rampant when I grew up. Blacks lived on the other side of town, used a different bathroom than whites and even a different entrance into a building, at least the building they were allowed in. I admit that I had felt that divide my entire life but never had I experienced what it was like to be treated differently, to be hated until 2013. I had just started a new job and had to catch two different trains to get to work. I worked on the fringes of Brisbane CBD where the brewery was, along with car repair places. Our offices faced the Brisbane River. I couldn’t be happier until one day I was on the train when a tall large boned woman sat down next to me. If you have ever been on a train, the seats are not all that wide. She kept putting her elbow in my side until I spoke up and ask her to be careful. I wasn’t rude, I just asked politely. She immediately got in my face and called me names telling me to go back the #%$& where I came from. I was floored. I went on to work and just dismissed the incident. As I said, I had to change trains which I did at Central station in Brisbane CBD. One morning after the incident on the train, I was learning up against the wall and talking on the phone to my cousin in the US waiting for my train to arrive when I saw this same woman. She immediately began to chase me. Now we are on the platform which is about 100 feet wide with two tracks running on each side. I ran around searching for someone, anyone to help. I spotted a train employee and ran to them. Their reaction was they thought it was some sort of domestic dispute to which I replied I don’t know this woman. The next incident was when I was at the train station near my work waiting to board the train when she saw me and came up to me and began to scream at me. I immediately got on the phone and called the police asking for them to meet me at Central Station. This was when my angel appeared. A little woman who became my dearest friend came to me and said “I have seen her to do to another woman. She shoved her out of the train door when it opened. The lady she shoved was Asian.” From that moment, I was experiencing and finally having a deep appreciation for what people of other beliefs, races, and colors have experienced their entire lives, racism. The police took the incident seriously and recorded the information. But, the lady didn’t stop. She began to follow me, take pictures of me. I was terrified she would push me onto the train tracks. And, of course, out of all those people who just stood there and watched these incidents, no one did a thing except for my dear friend. One particular incident I took the arm of a man in line and said can you help me to which he replied “Get your $#@* hand off me.” So getting help was out of the question. The police suggested I take the train at a different time. In other words, change up my routine. I thought back to Sept 11th and thought I’ll be damn if I’m going to let this woman run my life. After the next incident I was so shook up I went to the police station near where I worked and filed another report. I wanted it lodged as a hate crime because that is what it was. I couldn’t believe I was talking about a hate crime. A concept alien to me, something I thought I would never have to face. As it turned out, a friend of the constable who took my report boarded the train the same place as this lady who by now I had obtained a photo of for the police. And, it also happens that the lady accosted the friend of the constable. Her biggest mistake. The police then paid her a visit and with the threat of being banned from using public transport she stopped her tirade against me. By then the racist lady had stalked me, threatened me all because I was American. I was different. She didn’t care who I was or what I had accomplished in life, who my friends were. She knew nothing about me other than I was different. This gave made me take a long hard look at my southern upbringing that was ingrained in me. I saw through different eyes, tolerant eyes, compassionate eyes. Eyes that I had not really looked through properly in all my years of living in the south. And, now I have moved back to the south and I see racism has not left. It is still here. Not made better by protests or riots. Still black and white, rich and poor, employed and unemployed. I would say to you, put on their shoes for just a moment like I did and see just how tough it is being different. And, ask yourself this question “Why must I hate someone because of who they are, what color they might be, where they went to school or where they live or even who they love?” Now pay very close attention to your answer.

ELEPHANTS DO CRY

Although the science world may not be able to explain whether elephants tears are a result of emotion, their behavior to me suggests they do have emotions. We had travelled by van to a remote area in the Thailand jungle to ride the elephants. I was so excited. This was something on my bucket list and I always wanted to be up close with an elephant. I had a lot to learn that day, a lot I did not know until later. For one, Asian elephants have smaller ears than their African counterpart and they are actually an endangered species. The dark truth about the Asian elephants in Thailand tourist industry is shocking. Elephants are intelligent and friendly creatures. As tourists, we want to ride them and watch them do tricks. The horrible fact is that the elephants need to be tamed before this can be accomplished and the taming process is brutal and begins at a very young age. This crush of the elephant spirit is called Phajaan, pronounced ‘fajohn’ It involves taking baby elephants from their mothers and confining them to a small space where they cannot move. They are beaten into submission, starved and the use of bull hooks are employed to control the animal. Traditionally they were used for logging or military use, a part of Thai culture, now most are used to entertain the tourists. So, I was excited as I crawled atop this massive beast, completely ignorant of its abuse. We started through the jungle trail all the while the guide was riding on his head whipping him with a stick. Still I was oblivious. I was having fun, even taking a turn at riding atop his head which I must tell you is no easy feat with this giant creature lumbering back and forth. Earlier we had watched elephants hit a ball around an arena and even paint. What and experience. The real experience that day was yet to come. The trip was then over and we were able to feed our elephants bananas. It was then I noticed my elephant had tearing streaming down its face. Tears. I had no idea. I patted him gently, talking to him and still tears flowed. It was time to leave and I could not drag myself away from this creature I now had a bond with. Eventually I did have to leave, heartbroken that the elephant and I had made a connection but that I had to leave him behind. So whether science believes or doesn’t believe that elephants cry, I am convinced they do. My heart was forever touched by this massive giant who cried.

Deadly Feud - excerpt from chapter 2

The coroner arrived just past eight. Triplett had asked all the basic questions and now it was up to the coroner to figure this out. Howard Marcus was the lead coroner and had been for about ten years. He didn’t really know the Hansen’s and had little dealings with Triplett. Not many questionable or unattended deaths occur in this community and he had a large area to cover. This was probably just another farming accident or natural death. Triplett immediately got the impression that the coroner was “put out” from having to come all this way after quitting time. Triplett and Marcus made their way to the shed. Triplett had asked Abram, Mark and his grandmother to stay inside the house until the coroner was finished with his initial examination. He certainly didn’t want Ms. Hansen to see her husband lying there. It would be too much of a shock for her. It was hard enough for him to witness it. Marcus began his inspection of the body which was difficult considering it was pitch black in the shed. Triplett stood by with the flashlight to help him examine Hansen, wishing he was a million miles from there. “Looks as though he has had a blow to the back of the head, he said as he rolled the body slightly. Don’t think this is the normal farming accident.” Marcus advised and pointed to the red stained shovel in the far corner of the shed. “We will need to seal off the area and see if there are any prints on that shovel.” He added.

Little Green Hat

On 24 October 2011 I did something I have always wanted to do. I waved to the Queen of England and heard myself yell "God Save the Queen." The Queen visited Brisbane Australia and I was one of about 45,000 people who lined up to see Her Majesty in the stifling summer heat and humidity. God Save the Queen is the National Anthem which was composed in 1745. It was written after the Scottish invaded England. The invasion was a serious threat to the monarchy and that explains the words of the National Anthem that forms a prayer of petition for the safety and wellbeing of the monarch. The Queen arrived at the Brisbane airport, motored into the city then boarded a boat to travel up the Brisbane River to disembark at Southbank in Brisbane. It had taken me 30 minutes to walk there from where I was working in the city. Everyone at work thought I was crazy. They just couldn't understand wanting to pay homage to such a grand lady. Australians aren't very patriotic. Queen Elizabeth turns 91 in 2017 and she has been the Queen over the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand since 1952 and is the longest reigning British monarch. There have been a total of 12 US presidents since she first began her reign. She loves her dogs, especially corgis and also breeds thoroughbred horses. On a personal level there were two times when she personally was threatened. In 1981 she was riding in a special military parade when a man in the crowd pointed a gun at her. He fired, but fortunately, the gun was loaded with blanks. The next close encounter was the following year when an intruder scaled Buckingham Place and confronted Her Majesty in her very own bedroom. The Queen doesn't require a drivers license or license tag or even a passport. And, she celebrates her birthday twice, once on April 21st and the other in June when the weather is better. She carries cash in her purse but only on Sundays when she donates money to her church. Of course I took photos of my encounter with this royal lady that day but they are of her hat. Yes a beautiful green hat. And one fact I haven't mentioned is that she is only 5'4". I tried everything to get closer. I followed a news crew with no luck. Then a lady a couple of rows in front fainted from the heat. Still no luck. So, I have my fond memory of that little green hat and yelling "God Save the Queen."