photo taken September 2014

The most striking and surprising thing about Charlie is how delicate he is – delicate in his manner. He takes meat from my fingers with the tips of his teeth, and licks my face with the softest, most deliberate little licks. His movements and mannerisms are incredibly refined – aristocratic, really. Very opposite the common image of a snarling, slobbering wild thing.

Lots of deer pass by the cabin, and I noticed there is something so similar between the deer and Charlie, but I couldn’t put my finger on it. It wasn’t just the coloring, or the giant ears, or the long skinny legs. And then I realized that it’s their posture. These wild animals hold such alertness, such incredible elegance in their posture. It’s something people seem to have lost.