- We should talk about the elephant in the room.
- Yes we should.
- Great, so…
- So is it from India or from Africa?
- What??
- The elephant, is it from India or from Africa?
- I don’t know… Who care?
- Elephants from India have smaller ears than elephants from Africa.
- But…
- I’ve seen one in India, you know. Beautiful animal. Hannibal crossed the Alps riding one. I think it was an African elephant. India is too far from the Alps.
- Ok…
- I love India. I’ve been there twice. But I’ve never been to Africa. Next summer maybe.
- So, the elephant…
- Poor creature, it’s an endangered species they say, soon to be extinct.
- Yes, ok, but the elephant in the room…
- Well, if it’s in danger to be extinct, it’s much safer in the room than in the wild.
- ...
- You don’t agree?
- I…
- What about animal rights, huh? You don’t care about animal rights?
- (Trying to remain calm) I care about animal rights, I care very much, but “the elephant in the room” is an expression, a metaphor…
- Yeah right, go tell a mother elephant that her dying baby elephant is a metaphor!
- …
- You’re so heartless.
- (Losing it) I care about animal rights, ok!! I just want THIS elephant, in THIS room, to be fucking extinct!! So can we just focus on the damn elephant in the damn room?!
- I don’t talk to people who want elephants to be extinct.
© Claude El Khal, 2015