Mind to Mind

Ari smiled.

“You alone have successfully bridged the communication gap between our races. You have our gratitude and our blessing. Now our wisdom can be shared with those of your race and yours with us. Smile if you understand.”

Ari’s forehead tingled. It felt warm, pulsing with energy. She began:

“I come in peace wise one. Those of my race call you Twinkle because of the light that shines in your eyes, but I will call you something else if you prefer.” The dolphin shook his head.

Silence continued from the spectators that were gathered to hear her presentation. Ari had one chance to make it in the scientific world and that chance would happen shortly. She had done everything she could think of to prepare for this momentous event. A deep breath – she could do this!

The director in charge of the conference peered down at Ari over his spectacles. The move was intended to patronize her and make her feel small. After all, very few major advancements in the scientific community were made by unknowns. They were made after years and years of struggle, culminating in the triumph of discovery. Until this afternoon Professor Jamison had never heard of Ari Nettle or the work she was doing. Something, determination maybe, in her eyes made him willing to give her a half hour slot that evening to present her findings and demonstrate her skill. 

Most of the great minds of the scientific community were gathered in San Francisco to critique one another’s theories and findings. Uncannily, Ari had a meeting with a publisher in the very same city. He had arranged a flight, meals, and a hotel. Mr. Bantam was convinced Ari Nettle was on the verge of something big and he wanted nothing more than to be a part of it. When, not if, it took off, the sales of the book would likely boost their profit margin.

As a graduation gift from her father, she received a pendant featuring two dolphins. Their tails were holding a tiny lavender stone. Ari only took the pendant off to bathe. No words were spoken but it was then that she knew – he was proud of her.

Ari’s hand shook as she reached for the phone. It was Mr. Bantam from a prestigious publishing firm. He was anxious to meet with Ari in person to discuss publishing details. He insisted on covering all costs. Her thesis work titled Mind to Mind was intriguing reading. All Ari had to do was pack the manuscript and essentials such as a business suit for all the meetings. The airline ticket would arrive by Federal Express the next day.

Her PHD was nearly complete. Before that she had completed her master’s degree and preceded that with a Bachelor of Science. Smoky liked to sit on her lap as she typed her notes on the computer. Ari’s manuscript was 750 pages. She was waiting to hear from a couple of publishing firms. All the student loans amounted to a tidy sum, but she hoped it would be worth it.

Ari threw herself into her studies. She maintained an A average and had a double major – animal psychology and biology. Both subjects fascinated her. To relax she completed cryptic crosswords online and stroked her black cat Smoky. The cat was sitting on her doorstep after she returned from classes one day and curled up on Ari’s favorite chair before promptly falling asleep – destined to stay.

Every year through high school she applied to Sea World to work with the dolphins (or indeed any work that they could find) but would always get rejected. Such prestigious positions always went to relatives or friends of relatives. Ari knew no one in the industry. Before her senior year she was able to secure an interview, but nothing came of it. The personnel director looked her up and down and spotted her deformed hand (present at birth). She was politely thanked for applying and was told a decision would be made shortly. The director had written something on a post it note and attached it to her application. Ari was not to know but it was an outright reject – the hand might scare the dolphins or the paying customers.

Ari’s term papers were always of a water theme or animal theme. They were always inspirational and thought provoking. The teachers admired it; her classmates didn’t and called her “teacher’s pet”. She would often cry herself to sleep at night; her only comfort being a sound machine of ocean waves. Books were her friend. She even read while having meals with her father.

A special needs school option was discussed for her education, but the astronomical fees made the only solution public school. Ari would learn to face the stares and any taunting about her hand. It would make her stronger her father had said. He gave her a journal so she could write her thoughts out and promised not to look inside it unless it was offered to him. Ari appreciated the gesture and tried hard to disguise her feelings in front of her father; he was doing the best he could to provide for them both.

Ari’s mother had passed away from cancer. The young girl already knew how to do all the household chores (with some modifications because of her hand) from helping her mother. It freed up her father’s time so he could put in extra hours at the factory. So many medical bills meant the two of them could not go on holiday as they had done in previous years. 

“It’s okay dad” she said. Ari decided that she would study hard and be a big success – there would be holidays again one day when she made enough money. Ocean front holidays like they used to have. Walks on the beach, swimming in the ocean, and ice cream cones.

Before her mother’s illness took hold, she and Ari would spend their mornings at the ocean while on holiday and riding amusement park rides as well as feeding ducks in the afternoon. They both fixed fresh fish for dad for supper and sponge cake with whipped cream and tinned fruit for dessert. One morning they went out in a rented boat to a place where they could swim with the dolphins. Ari squealed with delight when she saw one of them. The dolphin was not afraid of her hand. Good. She thought:

“I will one day reach your thoughts and you will understand. You are majestic and have a lot to teach us.” Was it her imagination? Ari was convinced that the dolphin nodded in agreement. Wow!

The little girl smiled – she loved dolphins.