Fishing Trip

The birds are in the yard eating all the seed I toss out.  The woodpeckers are at the suet enjoying their favorite treats.  Squirrels are snatching up pieces of bread set outside for them so they will leave the bird food alone.  Frankie is.....MIA.

Frankie is sleeping inside and missing out on all this morning activity.  Missing out on the sunshine and no-wind.

Sure, Frankie will eventually wake up.  He will eventually get escorted outside.  Eventually he will sit in the sun and graze the backyard.

He had a big day yesterday.

Too cold and windy for the Franks to go outside.  Warm and toasty inside the gecko room means Frankie wants to go outside and walk and graze.

Other plans are made.  Take Frankie to Bass Pro Shop.

Bass Pro Shop in Birmingham invited Frankie to come inside and walk around any time he wants.  It's a new location for Frankie.  For him, everything is an adventure. 

Frankie could go anywhere and still get the same reactions.

It's a remote controlled turtle gizmo.
It's a stuffed turtle display.   
It's a carved piece of wood.  ...that moves.
I've had too much coffee and I am hallucinating so I better just ignore that moving boulder on the floor of the store 'cause if I say anything I will be called crazy.
It's a turtle.....it is a turtle?!!!!

Adults are just as thrilled about seeing Frankie as the kids are.  Everyone gets a smile.  Everyone brings home a memorable moment....and a photograph on their phone to prove there was indeed an 85 pound sulcata at the Bass Pro Shop. 

But sometimes something special just happens.

A young girl was there.  She was blind.

Without hesitation, this young girl touches Frankie.....

Fearless, she explores Frankie's shell.

 

Checking out his front feet.

 

Feeling for Frankie's face.

Frankie has always been shy about letting anyone touch his legs and head.  Amazingly, he patiently, but cautiously, allows her to touch him all over.  Even his face.

The young girl seemed to be a little disappointed that Frankie didn't have a cold wet nose.  But, Frankie is her first tortoise. 

Just one of those unforeseeable moments with "Special" stamped forever in our memories.