Roy and his Monkey

After eight months of living with me, Roy finally made a friend. I have no details surrounding this mystery friend but I do know he or she existed because they came to pick him up once. The friend and Roy were going to go hunting for fossils. I don't know what they were looking for or why but Roy was so excited for it and I was quite happy for him. I knew he was looking forward to this day for a long time.

Upon his return I enthusiastically asked him how his day was. He told me it was fantastic. I asked if he found any fossils. He told me he had. Then his excitement level rose as he revealed his big surprise.

(This may not be exactly how the conversation went, but it is pretty close)

Roy (barely containing his excitement): I saw a monkey!

Me (annoyed): No, you didn't.

Roy: Yes I did!!

Me: No - you didn't.

Roy (his level of excitement decreasing): Why are you saying that?

Me (still annoyed) : Because we don't have monkeys here. You did not see a monkey.

Roy: Yes I did.

Me: No you didn't.

Roy: It was in a tree.

Me: No it wasn't.

Roy: Are you saying I don't know what a monkey is?

Me: That's exactly what I'm saying. You clearly do not know what a monkey is.


Roy: Well, I took a picture of it and I will prove it to you.


Me: Good. I look forward to you proving me I'm wrong.

So, that was the end of that conversation. Roy was going to get his pictures developed and show me the monkey.

But shortly after that he moved back to China and we both forgot about it. We never discussed the incident again.

A few months later I went and checked my mail. I was fully expecting my usual boring bills but was delighted to find a letter from my old friend Roy. I slowly opened the envelope but was surprised to see no letter inside. I did however find one photo. When I removed the photo from the envelope the back was facing me. I read the words "here is the monkey I saw".

I turned the photo around, anxious to see what I'd find. Of course, we all know it wasn't a monkey.

But I sure wasn't expecting to find a picture of a porcupine.

(not the actual picture, but I don't have a scanner and can't show you the real one)