Happy birthday to my Giraffe!

Chomp leaves, conserve water!

You may be wondering if I have a pet giraffe. I certainly do have a fascination for large animals in the wrong place.

I do not have a pet giraffe. I don’t even have one of those approximately six foot tall plush giraffes that you sometimes see in Hallmark stores in old malls. What I do have is the best friend anyone could ever have, my former partner and forever almost brother, the Giraffe.

I am so grateful for my Giraffe, who is very tall, skinny, has red hair and slightly orange skin and eats a lot of greens, leading me to call him a Giraffe. I’ve never seen him actually eat from a tree but I’d like to.

We met twenty years ago November. We lived together for almost a decade and separated so amicably that there was not one single item that we fought over. Well, that’s not true. I stole his hairbrush, I still have it, and I’m never giving it back!

We’ve been close friends ever since. He’s been with my through serious health issues, been supportive even when I had troubles that most people couldn’t deal with, and laughs at almost all of my jokes! He taught me much of what I know about epidemiology and sends me supplements and protein shakes. He once almost had a duel with a famous biochemist over whether or not I should eat hard boiled eggs. I guess you had to be there.

Happy birthday Giraffe. Live long and prosper!