February 11, 2013
10:40-11
Water for Elephants
Pages: 122-130

Jacob is still concerned about the animals in the tent but decides its best not to infuriate uncle al and August so he goes to check on his animals. They're all overheating and there's a polar bear. He turns to leave and notices that the floors have been cleaned. Marlena and August are arguing very loudly in her dressing tent and Jacob starts yelling for August. He responds and Jacob pretends to need August and starts asking him questions about the cats. Uncle al is coming and August lets him come inside to get his first business lesson. Uncle al comes with an entourage. August asks what happened to Charles, the freak and only reason they came to the Fox Brothers circus. It turns out ringling had gotten there first and took him before anyone else. Despite this, uncle al is still excited because he has an elephant named Rosie. He pops out a bottle of champagne and pour it for all of them. Uncle al leaves and after a moment of silence, August drinks his champagne and leaves to check out the elephant. Jacob and marlena also drink their champagne and follow him. Jacob feels better when they get to the tent with the animals of the Fox Brothers is being taken care of with men giving the animals food and water and stuff. There is also a huge elephant. The man who used to take care of her isn't very nice and keeps saying how the elephant is dumber than a sack of hammers and he used a pointy stick to get her to move and he chews tobacco. August pretends that Jacob is the elephant man and the tobacco man tells them how all the good elephants are gone because its been 3 days and she's from a polish girl who owned her then died and the city gave the elephant to the circus. The elephant sprays the tobacco man with water from her trunk as he leaves. August leaves very angry probably to go find uncle al but marlena and Jacob stay. They try to hold out food for her and she takes some from him. In the distance outside, someone is playing the harmonica and marlena and Jacob start dancing until she realizes what's going on and she pulls away and suggests they go look for August.

The living environments for the animals was really bad and that's probably why we have so many animal cruelty laws and requirements for animals today. Also I think something is going to happen between marlena and Jacob and August.

I read well today and was able to finish the chapter.