As I sit in the plane getting ready to take off from Frankfurt to Chicago, I can't help one final reflection.
My friend Dave has an affinity with camels which I've tried to emulate on this trip.
Like him, Saint Francis of Assisi was close friends with the birds and animals, which loved him dearly.
Doctor Doolittle of Puddleby-on-the-Marsh was renowned for talking with the animals, which he preferred over humans.
Mister David Sheard, of Stoughton, follows in their footsteps as the original 'camel whisperer' who is so beloved of camels that they even start to look like him.
So who am I to pretend I might have a hope of joining the ranks of the famous "animal trinity," as TIME magazine recently called these three men.
The best I can do is submit one final photo. One final, failed attempt to befriend a camel named Abdul.
So to you, Abdul, I say: I offered you the kiss of friendship, and you tried to bite my nose. May your fleas multiply and be as numerous as the sand on the sea shore.
