Dolphins

The population of the San Diego metro area is 3,053,793, the San Antonio metro area is 2,142,508, and finally, the Orlando metro area is 2,082,628. These three cities are home to 7,278,929 folks. Additionally, San Diego boasts 30 million visitors a year, San Antonio hosts 20 million, and Orlando has close to 50 million visitors a year. All in all, the three cities are the location of some 107,278,929 people on an annual basis. Now you may be asking yourself, what on earth does this matter? Why these three cities? Who cares? Well if you are one of those millions of people, chances are you have been to Sea World. Sea World is an ocean theme park with a variety of shows featuring dolphins, orca wales, sea lions, and other animals in addition to roller coasters, water rides, and other attractions. Every child that visits the park is destined to dream of becoming one of those awesome dolphin trainers whose job it is to swim with dolphins and feed them fish while thousands of people cheer them on. Because they realize that they are only 8 and this goal isn't in their immediate reach, they beg their mother, father, or grandparents to take them to the gift shop to find something to dull the pain of this loss. Oh what's that they have found? An inflatable dolphin toy for the pool? Something they can practice their training with until they are old enough to earn their degrees in marine biology? How convenient. 

Though the child clearly tried to unpack the dolphin on their way back to the hotel or house in the car, they soon realize that it is just too large for the car in its inflated form so they give up and wait until they arrive. However, as soon as they are there, there is no doubt that the dolphin is full of air and ready for the pool. Though your Sea World adventure ended in the late afternoon, say around 4 p.m. and you therefore didn't arrive back until perhaps 5 p.m. this eager little kid will no doubt be training that dolphin well into the night. In fact, if they have a sibling or willing parent, they will definitely be trained as well. 

As the years pass and the family ends their annual trips to Sea World, the child may lose their desire to be a dolphin trainer. They may realize that a difficult science degree is required for this exciting swimming job. Regardless, their wonder, amazement, and love for dolphins will never leave them. In a few years time, their family will choose a new vacay spot, perhaps a Phoenix golf trip, or maybe a trip to Miami, Florida. When they realize that they will be so close to the ocean, the home of these beautiful creatures the grown child will beg their parents to work it out for the family to swim with dolphins, because this may be their only chance to do so. The experience will without a doubt be the best experience of their life.

Though that 8 year old is now 20, this swimming with the dolphins experience has definitely changed their life, it was more than they could've imagined. Now, they can't stop thinking about dolphins. They will surely resort back to their old ways of training and playing dolphin games in the pool any chance they get, despite the looks they will get from their peers. When the summer is over and the pools are closed, they will desperately search for other means to relive their dolphin experience. Perhaps they will buy a dolphin pillow pet, or a dolphin body pillow, a shower curtain to be used as a wall mural, or a variety of other products. Additionally, there is no doubt that they will print out dolphin coloring pages from the internet and color them with crayons they stole from the local Applebee's in between their Finance and Literature classes at their university of choice. 

 SOML