The Diet Wars
I have to laugh when I think about Dumbo’s current “problem”—he’s gotten a little too comfortable with the good life. His last checkup revealed that our gentle giant had put on some weight, earning him a stern talking-to from Dr. Smith.
“Dumbo needs to lose about 200 pounds,” the vet announced.
You’d think I’d asked him to give up breathing. When I started measuring out smaller portions, Dumbo would stand by his empty food bowl and stare at me with the most accusatory expression.
“This is not sufficient,” his eyes seemed to say.
Then he’d pick up the bowl with his trunk and tap it against the fence, making the most pathetic clanging sounds until I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Nice try, buddy, but doctor’s orders.”
The fact that a formerly starving elephant now had to go on a diet felt like the most beautiful problem in the world.
