Today we’re going to the Dallas Aquarium. Benjamin is out of school for a teacher work day and I took off work just for this trip. For the first time ever, Benjamin and I will ride the DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transit) commuter train. Shannon, an old pro on the metro area’s rapid transit, will show us the ropes.

Such an aquarium is, basically, an underwater zoo. While some zoo captives can look sad, or at the very least indifferent, it’s fairly difficult to tell whether a fish is happy or angry, and you can’t see their tears thanks to the water. Their constant motion through the water prevents that listless look of a terrestrial creature lying in the grass or on a fake rock. So, we will have fewer potential sources for conflicting emotions, and zero chance that an unnaturally cooped-up animal will escape and maul someone.

Score!

I’m pretty sure we won’t see anything new at the Dallas Aquarium. Shannon and I have been to the National Aquarium in Baltimore and the Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey, California. It’s fairly difficult to top either, from what I’ve heard.

However, while other aquariums may not offer as complete an experience, they often feature their own specialty. For the Dallas Aquarium, the specialty seems to be manatees. I like the peaceful giants, and Shannon has always loved them, so enjoyment is almost guaranteed.

Looking at a few videos of manatees online, Benjamin said, “Mommy, what are those marks on their backs?”

“Well, sometimes boats hit them accidentally.”

“Aww, that must really hurt.”

Here’s hoping there are no scars or frowns on the manatees we see. Anything otherwise might damage our calm. For the admission price, we expect nothing less than unfettered joy.

Note: When thinking of the cows of the deep, I can’t help recalling the Larry the Cucumber song, “Barbara Manatee.” If you haven’t experienced it, I suggest looking up the music video on the internets. It’s a bit of a hoot. You can’t go wrong with any of the “Silly Songs with Larry.”