14

Star

     The process of training Dilo to become a dolphin clown began immediately. Dilo learned quickly. He had Daisy to show him. At first Dilo did not like eating dead fish, but coaxed by Tina he gradually accepted them.

     Tina got into the water with Dilo the first time he was let into the main pool for a training session. Dilo liked Tina. In some ways she reminded him of Debra. Tina was surprised and pleased when Dilo let her touch him straight away. Tina was even more delighted when she got hold of Dilo’s dorsal fin and he towed her through the water. Never before had a newly-captured dolphin allowed her to do that so soon.

     Tina soon realised there was something extra special about Dilo. After they had been together for several days Tina was surprised to see a faint star on Dilo’s dorsal fin. “Why didn’t I notice that when you first came into the aquarium’? she asked herself.

     Her boss, the man on the beach, came to the pool during some training sessions. At all other times he stayed in his office. He didn’t want Beth and Ann to know he was the manager, or curator, of the aquarium.

     “We’ll have to give it a name,” he said to Tina when she told him how quickly Dilo was learning to jump and do somersaults on her commands.

     “Let’s call him Star,” she suggested, “because of the star on his dorsal fin.”

     “I can’t see no star.” said the man.

     “That’s funny,” said Tina. “I couldn’t at first, but now I can see it quite clearly.”

     “You’ d better get your eyes tested. Star’s a good name anyway,” said the man. “Star can become the star of the show.” he chuckled. He was pleased with his little joke.

     Beth and Ann went to the aquarium every day to find out how Dilo was getting on. They became friendly with Tina. They would stay behind when all the other spectators had gone.

     The two girls watched as Tina encouraged Dilo, or Star as he was now called, to perform more and more tricks. When nobody was around Tina let Beth and Ann use her whistle and do hand signals. They were delighted when Dilo responded. Tina told them not to tell anyone as it was strictly against the rules.

     Although Beth and Ann enjoyed every minute they spent at the aquarium something troubled them.

     “Tina,” said Beth, “when we discovered Star we wanted to put him back into the sea. It’s been lovely being so close to him in the pool, but don’t you think Star really belongs in the sea?”

     “Maybe you’re right,” replied Tina, “but he does seem to enjoy being in the pool with Daisy and he does bring pleasure to lots of people.

     “1 know,” said Beth, “but it still doesn’t feel right to me.”