POST CARDS FROM THE MUSE

Becoming Psychic

I have just spent the past week enjoying several trained animal shows. These have been very entertaining for the most part, but they have also given me a new thought as far as inspiration to write. What does an animal think during a performance?

A couple of the shows we’ve seen this week have had restarts and blank space because the animals decided not to perform. The trainers and other actors did a good job to cover up and fill in for the moody animal star, but the show lacked the main ingredient.

So my muse whispered to me, “Is there a story here?” What goes through the mind of the star attraction? Why did the orca whale not feel like splashing water when the cue was given? What made the beluga whale swim around in a melancholy circle instead of dance on the top of the water?

In the world of training wild animals, I would have to do some research to learn how to handle them and how they react to certain things. But beyond that my imagination would have to fill in the blanks. I would need to feel the animal’s mood and see through its eyes the events of the day leading up to the performance. In short, I would have to become psychic to the animal’s mind.

As an author, this is entirely possible, and even more important, very probable and very fun.

Congratulations. You have just received a post card from the muse.

Nandy Ekle