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Today a mountain memory that goes back to a time 

when our children were younger…more carefree

when out of Grandpa’s garden Ali picked her Sweet Potato Manatee.

We live in Florida…where many a manatee can be found…

but we never saw one that far north…

or for that matter…buried in the ground.

We joked as a family as to how much this treasure might be worth

after all Ali had discovered the smallest manatee on Earth.

Since it’s known as calm and well tempered and as friendly as a mammal can be

that summer Ali decided to adopt her sweet potato manatee.

It’s a summer in the mountains none of us will ever forget…

when Ali, an animal lover, kept a sweet potato as a pet.

“Are you going to eat it?” She was asked by many an amused and smiling stranger

to which Ali would roll her eyes and answer, “We can’t…manatees are in danger.”

The problem that I’m sure has dawned on you…as it did to this reporter…

a manatee can live for 60 years…a sweet potato’s life…is shorter.

My memory’s a little fuzzy as to that manatee’s final fate…

but I do know that is one sweet potato our family never ate.

I suppose in the end that was the good natured playfulness of fate…of destiny

leaving us…among others memories that summer…one of a sweet potato manatee.