Happy as a Hippo

If you are following the blog you may recall I have a story that riffed on some deep feelings generated in me from the movie “Along Came Polly.” 

In this movie, Hank Azaria’s character of Claude is affecting. His sweet spirited question, “Are you for scuba?” comes across as a genuine invitation to selfing.  Late in the movie he is told that someone will not go scuba diving with Claude because they are going on another boat.  Claude’s response, “As long as you are for scuba, then I am happy.”

Early in the movie, when he has been found in an act of intimacy with the newlywed partner of the movie’s protagonist, Claude defends himself saying he “could not help himself.”  He continues, “it is like the story of the hippo.”  I like it when the main character snaps back, justifiably angry, “I am not familiar with that story!” 

Here is Claude’s version of the story of the hippo.

The hippopotamus, he is not born going, "Cool bean, I am a hippo." No way, José.  

So he tried to paint the stripe on himself to be like the zebra, but he fool no one.

And then he tried to put the spot on his skin to be like the leopard, but everyone know he is a hippo.

So at certain point, he look himself in the mirror, and he just say, "Hey, I am a hippopotamus, and there is nothing I can do about it."

And as soon as he accepts this, he live life happy.

Happy as a Hippo.

I know each of us will make of this little parable what we will. This is, I suppose, as it ought to be. Like the hippo, if you will.