ANIMAL PURSUITS
A frivolous frolic through the puntastic province of animals
by
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In a large clearing in the heart of a vast wilderness there stood, in stately splendour, a giant, sturdy, seemingly ageless, oak tree. One could even go out on a limb so far as to say that this majestic old monolith seemed to have conquered antiquity. It had been able to withstand the ravages of Father Time, and the elements of Mother Nature for centuries in an awesome display of sustained strength. It was a lone sentinel, the only source of protection against these elements for miles around. It was the last citadel for some against the blistering summer heat. It stood like an oasis in an endless desert - a shining beacon for weary travellers. Its broad trunk supported an umbrella of branches and leaves offering its visitors a short, but welcome, respite from the scorching sun, the blustery wind, the pelting rain or whatever bizarre assortment of climatic conditions that Mother Nature, in her infinite wisdom, and from her extensive repertoire, might have in store for them at that time. It played shelter to a weary trio of elephants this day. There was the wise old grandfather elephant, Elmer, who once led the great herd - and with distinction too, one might add. Accompanying him were his two grand calves, Ebony and Eric. Many a time he had rested against an old tree trunk, or propped himself up on a fallen log to relay one of the many yarns that he had stored away in his memory over the years. They played games, told stories, laughed and generally had fun – things he just didn’t have time for when he was younger. Like all elephants, Elmer had a great memory, and where that was dimming with age, a vivid imagination, which made his stories very exciting for the youngsters. His descriptions were so vivid in fact, that the young calves could imagine the tale unfolding before their very eyes. However, if it had not been for their curiosity, and the subsequent, persistent questions that inevitably followed, often at the most inappropriate times, he might not have embellished his stories with such vivid detail. This was one of those days. They’d been playing ‘Animal Pursuits’ - a trivia game very popular with young animals everywhere, when Ebony’s curiosity got the better of her, and she asked Grandpa Elmer a question.
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About the Book
The book is a fantasy about animals, containing a lot of trivia, facts, fantasy, and a myriad of pun aspects of the animals. What might happen if, after the destruction of the human race, animals took over? This is a tale about the malicious murder of a few animals and the resulting chase, arrest, and prosecution of the perpetrators. It is told by an elephant to his grand calves. The story covers the murder and the investigation by Chief Inspector Bobby Bloodhound and his renowned team of detectives. They investigate the ant colonies, the beehives, the ocean, the bird sanctuary, the farm, and the wild jungle. There is a chase, a capture, and a court case to follow. Many human comparisons can be made from the behavior and actions of the animals involved.
About the Author
I, Richard J. Atkinson, was born in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, on February 5, 1948—a post-WWII baby. I went to schools in Brisbane and attended the University of Queensland, where I was awarded a BA Dip. Ed. I later was awarded a Grad. Dip. Ed. (computer education). I became a full-time teacher after two years of national service as a flight lieutenant in the RAAF. For the next thirty-four years, I taught math, English, economics, and computing subjects. In 2003 I retired from full-time work. I travelled extensively and worked casually as a relief teacher on call. I married in 1975 and had a daughter in 1982. She has illustrated my book. She gave us our first grandchild, a boy, in 2011. During my semiretirement, I developed a desire to write and wrote a novel about a world consisting only of women—my wife is still in the process of typing it up. As I travelled through the many schools I served, I observed many posters of animals and developed the idea for Animal Pursuits. After two years of editing and reediting after consultation with an assessor and some valued friends, I have arrived at the completed manuscript.