The Bucket List [#Wattys2018]

Chapter Eight: Order me an elephant ear

"Everything you've ever wanted is just one step outside of your comfort zone."
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The only animal I've ever ridden was a horse. Not an elephant. But I've always wanted to ride an elephant.

Me and Amy were going to the Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey presents out of this world Circus at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn NY. A tongue twister am I right? Since we live in Manhattan, all we have to do is cross over the famous Brooklyn Bridge to get over.

Amy had called them after we finished the color run to see if we could ride the elephants. They were really nice and said they'd be glad to let us, on one condition, If I did a book signing there next summer.

"Amy?" I asked, turning down the car radio. Amy looked at me, her eyes brimming with questions. "Thank you. Thank you for doing all this with me, for always being here for me." I tell her with gratitude.

Amy smiles. "No problem Amanda. You know, it was hard seeing you go through depression all through Middle School and High School. And now you're wanting to have fun and enjoy life. It just makes me really happy, and I'm proud of you." I think Amy is starting to cry now. "I think my problem was that I was so afraid to die. But now I'm afraid to die without having to have lived at all." As I spoke, I realized how much I've changed in just twenty years, I think Amy noticed it too.
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"Wait. So the elephant lifts you up with it's foot!?" Amy has asked that question for about the thousandth time. The guy nodded. "So you first need to get him to trust you." I turned to my elephant and reached my hand out. He cautiously moved his trunk towards my outstretched hand.

His trunk is ruff feeling. I feed him food and pet him more. And when the guide thinks the elephants fully trust us, he allows us to ride them. I carefully step onto the elephants foot which he lifts up so I can climb onto his back. I climb on and wrap my arms around him. His neck is ruff too, I know that elephants aren't all ruff, I know their bellies are smooth.

He begins to almost saunter back and forth as he walks, but I can barely notice it, it's like being on a cruise ship, you know you're rocking back and forth but you can barely tell. The elephant makes a low trumpet noise with his trunk, showing he is happy. I think elephants are my new favorite animal.

When I get off, he looks like he is smiling and I really believe that he is. I pet his trunk. "What's his name?" I ask the guide. "William, he's named after William Shakespeare." I smile. Shakespeare is my favorite poet.

Huge thanks to my friend thejlbournefan for helping me with this chapter. And for providing me with the information I needed to write this.