I should tell you about how I met Saharee. What a story! Dad had taken us all to India with him because he was giving a bunch of special talks at universities there. I couldn’t believe how crowded the city streets were! India has so many people, over 1 billion actually. If you write it out, 1 billion is a 1 with 9 zeros after it. Look: 1,000,000,000. Such a big number! Only China has more people. So you can imagine, in a place with that many people, it’s hard to stand out. Unless you’re a family of talking giraffes!
We were all heading over to the university from our hotel when I realized I didn’t have my glasses. I started running back to get them but because I couldn’t see very well I got lost and couldn’t find the hotel, and then I couldn’t find my family. And then suddenly I ran smack into an elephant, knocking a girl off the elephant’s back! She fell into a food stand and got a whole lot of this yellow stuff all over her blue outfit, which then kind of turned an icky greenish kind of color.
When she stood up, I said “I’m so sorry!”
“Ahhhh!” She screamed in my face, “A talking giraffe!”
“Yes, I didn’t mean to knock you off your elephant! I was looking for my family, and not paying attention to where I was going, and left my glasses at the hotel. My name is Jeb the Giraffe,” I said. “Will you be my friend?”
Even though she was covered in curry and talking to me, a giraffe, no one noticed. That’s how crowded India is. “How dare you,” she huffed. “You ruin my clothes, spoil my act and spill my rupees all over the street? Then you have the nerve to try and be my friend? My mother is going to kill me for ruining my expensive clothes!”
I didn’t really understand what she was saying, so I did what I always do, which is ask a lot of questions! “What’s your name? And, what’s his name? And, what’s rupees?” I said, pointing at the elephant, who was busy sucking up spilled food from the ground around the food stand.
The girl looked shocked when she said, kind of dramatically, “I can’t believe you don’t know me. See, I’m up on that billboard over there. I’m famous. My name is Saharee Star and he is Toodalo the elephant. Rupees are money, and my family has many. Now, if you don’t mind, I need to find my rupees, and go home to clean up. Clumsy giraffe.” She turned around to fetch Toodalo, and that’s when I started crying.
“Wahhhh…I’m…sniff…lost…and…sniff…scared and…sniff…can’t find my mommy!”
As it turns out, Saharee Star is the kind of person who just can’t stand to see people cry.
She said, “I’m sorry giraffe…um, Jeb. I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. Come on, I’ll help you.” She patted me on the back and I tried to hug her, but ended up just knocking her down again, which made my cry even louder, if you can believe that!
Then, at the exact same time, we both happened to see our reflections in a big mirror outside a nearby shop. We couldn’t help but laugh at ourselves. We looked so ridiculous!
Then Saharee said, “ I have an idea how we can get you back with your family.”
“Really, you’ll help me? What should we do?”
“You climb up onto Toodalo’s back and then I’ll climb all the way up to your head and belt out a song. They’ll be sure to see us then!” Saharee was all smiles now, especially at the idea of performing, which she can’t resist.
“Yay! Let’s do it!” I said.
I never tried standing on an elephant’s back before. It was hard, but somehow how I got up there and was able to stay balanced while Saharee Star climbed all the way up my neck and stood on my head. Luckily, she’s not very heavy! Then she just made up a song on the spot and started singing it really loud. It went like this:
Once upon a time in India
Jeb Giraffe got lost
So very many people
And all the streets criss-crossed
He was looking for his family
But instead guess who he met?
India’s star, Ms Saharee
And Toodalo, her pet!
As I looked into the distance, even without my glasses I cold see four giraffes in the crowd, all looking toward us. Everyone around us was clapping and laughing. Saharee’s plan worked!
After we climbed back down to the ground, Saharee handed me a black star mirror pin, saying “Here. You can have this to remember me by. I have to go home to clean up and eat dinner, but I hope we’ll meet again someday! Bye for now!”
I called after her, “Thank you Saharee and Toodalo! I’m so glad I met you both!” And then my family was all around me and everything was okay again.