College Student's Turtle Project Takes Dark Twist:

[grantcart]

22. It was about 1988 after an unusually heavy rain and widespread flooding.

I was returning to my home on the outskirts of Bangkok around 1 in the morning.

I saw a large dark figure on the side of the road.

I parked my car on one lane and stopped the traffic coming the other way. There were about 12 of us who ended up standing in the light rain watching together.

We watched as the huge turtle made his way from one side of the road to the other, I am guessing he weighed 70 pounds.

We all admired it. One fellow estimated that he had to be 60 years old.

We supposed that it was domesticated and lived in a pen but was washed over the wall of the enclosure when the area was flooded.

It was a peaceful moment and everyone who stopped shared in the beauty of the moment.

Its moments like those that make me miss Thailand so much.

If it had happened here so that people would have to wait 15 minutes for an elderly turtle I would expect anger and confrontation.