Treasures of the Heart. Carol W. Hazelwood

else you must think about,” Marcos said. “How are we to learn about animals if we don’t observe them, study them? Sometimes it isn’t possible to do so in the wild. Research is done for their benefit as well as for the benefit of humans.”

      Beth couldn’t let him off so easy. “Is it right to take an animal from the wild and put it in a cage?”

      “Sometimes, yes, sometimes, no. Animal ethics is not black and white. Knowledge creates the proper role for humans. Lucia told me you worked in a pet store. Did that bother you?”

      “No….yes. I mean at first I thought it was neat, but then…well… . We had a monkey in a cage. There was a rumor that it was going to be sold to a laboratory for experimental purposes. A friend of mine told me that the puppies we had for sale came from a puppy mill. You know, those places were they breed dogs without taking care of them.”

      “What did you do?”

      “Nothing! Sam, the owner, was a sweet old man, who loved animals. He took good care of them.”

      “Then what was the problem?”

      “It…it was difficult, that’s all.” Beth shrugged and slumped deeper into her chair.

      “You quit?”

      “Not exactly.” Her eyes smarted. She’d locked away her secret. This man, in this crazy house full of animals, wasn’t going to get her to confess.

      Marcos continued to question her in a smooth soft voice. “What did you do?”

      “Why do you think I did something?”

      “Because you care so much for animals.”

      “I do.” Did her parents put Lucia up to this? Maybe they knew more than she thought they did. “Like you said, animal rights aren’t black and white.”

      “I see,” Marcos said.

      Beth felt he knew everything without her saying a word. A silence fell between them. Finally Lucia came to the rescue. “Sometimes caring too much makes us do things we might regret later. Whatever happened, Beth, it’s past. Life is about learning, and to learn we must make mistakes.”

      Marcos cleared his throat. “I think it’s time for dinner. You have a long journey tomorrow and you’ll want to get on the road early.” He rose and walked to the kitchen, then stuck his head back in the living room. “Hey, muchachas, I don’t intend to do this all by myself.”

      With that Lucia rose from the couch and motioned Beth to get up as well. “He’s a slave driver, too. Little did you know you’d have to deal with such bossy adults. Enjoy dinner tonight, for it’ll seem like paradise compared to our jungle camp fare.”