Do The Whales’ Hearts Flutter? – Karma Kalsang

The bright sun shines as I drive the lazy coast road. The west wind urges white caps to the surface of the green sea. I get hungry and pull off at an eatery that promises a wishing well out back. With my tray of dynamic snacks I sit on the weather beaten bench by the lawn. The small white well with a red roof cover and a small bucket is before me.

I take a bite of my snacks and put the tray to the side and kneel on the damp grass close to the well, immediately regretting that. I try to put my face under the cover and wish it was a little bigger than this mini-golf decoration. Suddenly I am next to a large, well crafted stone wellhead. The golden sun above is my protector. I look into the well thinking, “How deep is that?” I find a good looking pebble and with my body trembling like a tuning fork in a traffic jam, I drop it in. With patience, I listen, the sun begins to set and the air gets cold. Still I listen and around the full moon of the second week there is a deep slow heartbeat. “Oh! It must be a whale! We see them off the coast all the time. Is that another heart beating in the background? Do whales natter? Do they have sweethearts? Do whales’ hearts flutter?”

My eyes begin to water and I squeeze them shut to clear them out. The whales leave with the tears and I bump my head on the small red roof. I pick up my tray of leftovers to put in the bin and return to the car.