Leaving the Valley

Tomas the ranger came to the visitor centre at sunrise. He had a Thermos of coffee. He sat on a bench next to Polly.

Tomas, mlinzi wa msitu, alifika kwenye kituo cha wageni alfajiri. Alikuwa na Thermos ya kahawa. Aliketi kwenye benchi karibu na Polly.

They did not say much. Polly preened her feathers. The morning smelled of the river.

Hawakusema mengi. Polly alijipamba manyoya yake. Asubuhi ilihisi harufu ya mto.

"You are leaving," Tomas said.

"Unaondoka," Tomas alisema.

Polly tilted her head.

Polly alikunja kichwa chake.

He told her about the rest of the park. The high country with its lakes. Another valley to the north. A grove of tall trees.

Alimwambia kuhusu sehemu nyingine za hifadhi. Sehemu za juu zenye maziwa. Bonde lingine upande wa kaskazini. Kundi la miti mirefu.

"This place is too big to see in three days," he said. "You only see pieces."

"Mahali hapa ni makubwa sana kuona kwa siku tatu," alisema. "Unaona tu vipande."

Polly thought about her dives off the cliff. None of them were good. But each one was a little better. She could keep getting better for a lifetime.

Polly alifikiria kuhusu kuruka kwake kutoka kwenye mwamba. Hakuna hata moja lilikuwa zuri. Lakini kila moja lilikuwa bora kidogo. Angeweza kuendelea kuwa bora kwa maisha yote.

The green shuttle bus came back. The same driver. Tomas stood up. "Off you go," he said.

Basi la kijani liliwasili tena. Dereva yule yule. Tomas alisimama. "Enda zako," alisema.

Polly stretched her wings. She lifted off the bench. She circled the visitor centre. She climbed.

Polly alinyosha mabawa yake. Aliondoka kwenye benchi. Alizunguka kituo cha wageni. Alipanda juu.

The valley dropped away. El Capitan was on her left. Half Dome was on her right.

Bonde lilishuka chini. El Capitan ilikuwa upande wake wa kushoto. Half Dome ilikuwa upande wake wa kulia.

At the rim, she banked west. Below her, a peregrine hunted small swifts along the cliff. Polly watched. Then she found the wind and let it carry her out of the park.

Kwenye ukingo, aligeuka kuelekea magharibi. Chini yake, ndege wa mwituni alikuwa akiwinda ndege wadogo kando ya mwamba. Polly aliangalia. Kisha akapata upepo na kuacha umpeleke nje ya hifadhi.