June the Giraffe

"Well for shit." June said to herself as she fell from her birthing mother. She stood up and her new legs wobbled underneath her. June was once a human mother, grandmother and great-grandmother and now she realized her wish had come true. She was now a giraffe. Her dream as a short woman was to come back to this world as a tall giraffe so she could, "look down on everyone." However, June was born a short giraffe. Even as a full grown giraffe, she would never look down on anyone. After a few years passed, she was now a young adult giraffe standing only five feet tall. She looked up at the other giraffes while they ate and her frustration to ask for help getting leaves down had never evaded her. She walked up to her friend Gerry and asked her to grab a few leaves off of the nearest tree for her to eat. "Of course, June!" June watched her friend's beautiful long neck reach up towards the sky and yank some leaves off of one of the tallest trees in the area. She placed them on the ground next to June's short legs and June looked down at the pile of leaves. Her appetite was leaving her. "What troubles you, June?" Her friend Gerry asked. "I wonder if there are any trees for me to reach all on my own in this world? They all seem to be out of reach for me." Gerry smiled and quickly responded, "You know that I never mind helping you, June." Which was true. Gerry was always willing to help her friends. She always took pleasure in helping others. June lowered her short giraffe head and began to munch on the leaves Gerry so kindly got down for her.

As June quietly munched on her leaves along with the other full sized-giraffes, a safari jeep pulled up about one hundred yards out from the group of giraffes and stopped. June wasn't phased because they did this often. She bent her head down to continue eating her leaves when she heard a muffled sound and a sharp pinch on her back hip. Soon her vision was fading and a heavy sleep came over her.

When she was coming to she heard voices, "she's waking up, give her space" one woman bellowed. "Back up everyone, back up behind the gate" a man's voice followed after the woman's. June opened her blurry wet eyes and tried to focus. Her thin legs underneath her wobbly like the day she was born. She got her barring's and stood up. Her eyes still trying to focus. "Wha- Wha- Where am I?" June asked in a sleepy voice. All the people around her gasped. "Did she just talk?" asked the gentleman standing near the gate. The woman's voice she first heard while coming to bounced off the man's question, "I knew you could talk. Do you have a name little one?"

June was just as shocked as they were. She knew she could talk to her giraffe friends and family, but had no idea she could talk to humans. June couldn't speak at first. She was scared to hear her own breath. It was probably why she was holding it, she thought to herself. "It's ok to speak to us. We wont hurt you. We just have some questions for you. If you are open to answering them, that is. We don't want to force you to do anything you don't want to. We would rather protect you since you were born on our reserve. Are you open to answering some questions for us?" The woman's voice was comforting, but June was scared to speak. What would really happen to her if she spoke outloud? What would they want to do with her?

The woman turned around and looked at all the people staring at June. "Ok guys, get on out of here. It could be a while before she decides to speak to any of us." Some of the people left right away, but some lingered. "Out!" She snapped. Everyone filed out and it was just her and the woman left in a small stable. "My name is Allie," said the woman. I am a Veterinarian. I only want to know if you are willing to do something for us. You must know you are special and unique apart from your friends and family. You are smaller than other giraffes and we as humans find this fascinating. I have been studying your from afar and I thought I caught you talking about week ago. I had to know for myself if it was true because we have a new program we are starting for unique animals. If...if you can talk...would you want to be part of the program and make millions of people happy? You could say whatever you like as long as it does not harm anyone and if you didn't want to speak, your unique size would be enough. If you have stipulations, we would be happy to oblige."

June's giant giraffe eyes widen and she began to ponder this offer. After a few seconds June raised her head and said, "Ok, I will do it. My stipulations are that my friends and family get to live with me AND... I want trees that won't grow too tall so that I may feed myself. If I am over worked or any of us are mistreated, I will expose you and you must release us." June leaned in real close to Allie and looked her in the eyes. Her long eyelashes nearly poking Allie in the eyeball. "You got it?" Allie pulled back a little for the safety of her eyes, she smiled and said, "You got it...uh..." June smiled back and pulled her head away from Allie. She stood as tall as she could and with a proud giraffe smile she said, "June. My name is June the Giraffe."