Earlier this month a 130-pound green sea turtle died of blood poisoning. In Thailand. I heard it on NPR. And read about it in the Washington Post. So it must be true.
Something about this story resonated with me. In my soul. Or perhaps my psyche. Okay, in my brain, then.
The symbolism, the pure metaphor of it all, was simply not to be overlooked. Forget about "The Lobster." We are the green sea turtle. The green sea turtle is us.
Omsin was her name. That's Thai for "Piggy Bank." She was so called because--well, people would throw coins to her. And she would eat them. Or swallow them whole, rather.
In Thailand turtles are a symbol of longevity. Their life expectancy is about 75 years. Somehow related to this archetypal concept is a superstition: "If you throw coins into waters where turtles swim, you'll live longer."
Green sea turtles are an endangered species. But I say, hey, what about us?!
Throwing coins into water for selfish reasons goes beyond Thailand and its customs. The practice started in ancient times when water from Mother Nature was usually undrinkable.
When potable water was found, it was deemed a gift from the gods. People figured those gods would appreciate a little something in return. So, they'd throw a little money in the fountain, spring or well. Clueless that doing so would taint the water. (And possibly irk the water gods?)
When tossing in a coin, it is said, a person might say a little prayer, ask for something, make a wish. One website writer says that at the Coventina Fountain in Northumberland, England, 16,000 coins were found--though he doesn't say when.
Earlier this year folks began to notice that Piggy Bank was having difficulty swimming. NPR said her shell had cracked. That can't be good.
Rescuers got her to the vets. Surgery was performed, for seven hours, as 915 coins, 11 pounds' worth, were removed from the patient's stomach--this, on March 6.
Her condition and recovery were chronicled on--where else?--social media. On March 9, she was said to be stronger, brighter, and happier.
But, on March 18, Piggy Bank took a turn for the worse. Reports cite a "gaping space" where the coins used to be. Her intestines got tangled up in that area, causing an infection.
It is also reported that toxicity from the oldest coins had compromised the quality of Piggy Bank's blood.
Piggy Bank became depressed and irritable. Rushed to intensive care on the 19th, she slipped into a coma. And died on the 21st.
In fairy tales, mythology and dreams, money usually symbolizes energy, power and/or prestige. How odd that, even in small doses, we humans would deploy it in such a way that it does us no good. And others bad.
There's a multi-tiered fountain that I pass frequently. It's always cluttered with pennies, plus a few nickels, dimes and quarters. This fountain probably attracts as many visitors as Coventina did in its heyday.
Each time I'm there, I think, I need to reread the littering statute. Pretty sure there's no exception for money thrown into water.
I brought this up one day with a person of authority at this establishment. The reply included a smile and a pair of rolling eyes. And I dare not tell the full answer. Suffice it to say that it is someone's job to clean out the money regularly.
At least there are no turtles in this fountain. And, to my knowledge, no pipes running to the kitchen.
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Vic Fleming is a Little Rock District Court judge, law professor, writer and crossword-puzzle author.
Editorial on 03/31/2017