Desert Tortise

         Now before this time I could not have been able to distinguish between a turtle a tortoise, marine desert or otherwise. It just so happen when I was lingering in the beach community of Oxnard shores while driving along in my Ford F150 with my Lance camper, I almost ran over the creature that later I discovered was a desert tortoise. I was living in my camper at the time by choice, as my occupation required a lot of moving around up and down the coast of California and I migrated north these last few summers to take advantage of some easier pickings. Of course now I must explain that I was a Sea Urchin diver; that is I harvested sea urchins for their roe or eggs that Asians are so fond of.

         I couldn't for the life of me figure out what this desert tortoise was doing crossing the road by the beach. I went ahead and gathered him ..(or her I never did figure out which) up and knocked on a few doors around thinking it could be someones escaped pet. He was about 8 inches long and dark gray with some markings on the shell. I didn't get any response so I put him on the front seat and went on my way.

         Eventually I acquired a small aquarium and put some dirt, branches and a few leaves in it and decided that it would make a good home for George. ( I named him George, I thought it fit) I showed him around the neighborhood and to some of my friends, which how I came to find he was a desert tortoise, which were endangered and illegal to own, at least that is what this girl Angie told me, and she seemed to know more about it than I did, so I accepted her information. Angie volunteered to run an ad in the paper, in case the owner was looking for him, which I agreed.

            In the meantime I kind of got attached to George, he seemed low maintenance I just put some lettuce and cabbage in the aquarium and watched him eat. I would take him to the park while I was trying to throw this boomerang I recently bought. If I didn't pay attention he would be quite a ways away by the time I noticed he was not close by. I was surprised how far he could get, even though he was slow. I was reminded of the old fable the Tortoise and the Hare with some amusement. George was also very quiet which I liked.

          Well one day, I showed an acquaintance I had met at one of the local watering holes, George and told him the story. Well James got excited and offered to buy him from me so he could give it to his 13 year old daughter. James thought that she would love it, and I kind of wanted to but, I was getting attached to George and I wasn't ready to part with him.

         Some months went by and I completely forgot about Angie's ad. I also had to hear James every time I saw him, how what a great present that George would be for his daughter. Eventually, I caved because I have a soft spot for children.( which was not always the case, in my younger days I had issues with children) James was delighted and I think he just gave a couple of nice ling cod he had caught, since I paid nothing for George, I was not looking to make money. My payment was satisfied when the next time I saw James he said that his daughter loved the tortoise and even kept the name George, or so he said.

          After a few weeks had passed, I had not seen James at his usual spot in the bar, so I started asking around to see if anyone had talked to him. Well, much to my shocked surprise, I learned that he had passed away after having a heart attack while taking a bath. A sad episode, but it got a little complicated when I learned from Angie that someone had answered the ad she placed, and were expecting to be reunited with George, or whatever name, if any they gave it.

       The decision I came to, may have not been the most altruistic, but in no way was I going to ask James' little girl to hand over the last present her father gave her before he passed away.