My Friend, the Tortoise

When I walk to the main light rail stop on campus, I pass a little urban garden. On Thursdays, the garden opens up to host a small farmers' market, and one of the farmers (I'm not sure which one) brings a tortoise. This is no ordinary tortoise, though. This little guy lost a leg at some point, and whoever rescued or takes care of him has attached a wheel to his shell in the leg's place. It is fascinating to watch him scoot his way around the garden. The wheel doesn't exactly roll as if you watch a tortoise's movements closely you'll notice it's shell tips as it extends it leg forward to walk. So, the wheel rolls a little bit, but mostly it just keeps his shell from dragging on the ground, especially over the uneven terrain. Regardless of how functional the wheel is, he makes it work. One of my favorite parts of Thursdays is seeing him on my way home.