Sharing

We vervets may be small, but we see a lot from our perch high in the avocado trees. We watch the world below with curious eyes, especially the man who often stands beneath us, his ginger cat by his side, keeping a watchful eye on our antics. You know, the one who lives in that house where we occasionally try our luck at snagging a treat.

We are ever wary of his dog Sammy who bounces when he barks up at us and we chatter right back, taunting him with banter. We see him most early mornings, gazing up at us with a mix of amusement and something else—something deeper, like a shadow of sadness that clings to him. We’re not the kind of monkeys to dwell on emotions too much, but even we can tell when a heart is heavy. So, sometimes, we venture a little closer, our tiny hands reaching out as if to say, “We’re here, and maybe we can make you smile today.”

On those special days, when the sun is just right and the breeze carries a hint of something sweet, he does smile. Or even laughs—especially when one of us does something particularly human, like asking for a bit of help with those tiny hands of ours. He’s generous on occasion, tossing us a scrap or two, though we notice he never invites us in. That’s alright; we’re used to fending for ourselves, after all.

But there’s something else he tries to do—he tries to teach us about sharing, as if we might learn a lesson from his kindness. The truth is, we’re vervets, and we’ve learned to put ourselves first. It’s survival, really. We know that if we don’t grab what we can, someone else will, even if that someone is one of our own. So, we take what we get and run with it, never looking back.Still, we know there’s a part of him that hopes we might change, that maybe one day we’ll share among ourselves or with others.

But for now, we’re content with our ways, happy to enjoy the avocado trees and the occasional generosity of the man who watches us with that ginger cat he calls Timmy by his side.We hope, in our own little way, we bring him some joy, even if it’s just for a moment. Because, while we might not be the best at sharing, we do know how to make people smile—and maybe, just maybe, that’s enough.With a cheeky grin and a handful of stolen avo,

The Vervets