In the final week of May Stegosaurus stomped up to Washington DC at the behest of his good friend Congresssaurus Triceratops, the long respected leader of the Dinosaur Congressional Caucus. The three horned faced Congresssaurus declared the matter most urgent and requested Stegosaurus come to him at his earliest convenience. Stegosaurus was perplexed and concerned; he had spent so much time in Florida this Spring that he had not been following the news. The two dinosaurs met outside the Smithsonian's Natural History Museum. They could not go inside, because the Dinosaur Hall is still under construction.

"Thank you for coming, friend Stegosaurus," said Congresssaurus Triceratops, appearing slightly distressed. "I am glad to see you. This matter is most urgent, and I must speak with you about it at once."

"What is it?" asked Stegosaurus, concerned. "Are you well?" he asked, thinking, "I hope he won't ask me to run for office again; I am happy at home in the tranquil pursuit of gardening and science; I have no ambition to govern mammal or dinosaur."

"Be at ease," assured Congresssaurus Triceratops. "I am well, the matter has nothing to do with my health."

"I am so glad to hear it," rejoined Stegosaurus. "Obviously, though, something is amiss. You do not look at ease yourself."

"I am not," conceded Congresssaurus Triceratops. "Let me begin at the beginning. On the first of this month I attended a local production here of the Broadway show Finian's Rainbow, and left the theatre humming the tune "How Are Things In Glocca Morra?" to myself. Stomping back to my Senate chamber, I then stopped and some birds in the trees spoke to me, you know they're my descendants."

"They're mine, too", observed Stegosaurus. "I'm even bird - hipped!"

"You may have noticed that the mammals of Washington DC are investigating each other for suspected ties to Russia of late," said Congresssaurus Triceratops.

"I may have heard something about that before leaving for Florida," said Stegosaurus. "An unfortunate situation. They should spend more time helping each other."

"I know," agreed Congresssaurus Triceratops, and then he continued: "The mammals are so rabid to find connections to Russia everywhere and in everything that some anonymous source has informed me that another anonymous source will investigate me for serving as a Soviet spy because I attended that particular play, which references birds, and because I spoke to birds on Government property."

"That is absurd," said Stegosaurus. "Are you sure these mammals are using their larger brains?"

"Somehow I doubt it," said Congresssaurus Triceratops. "If it were just that, I'd weather the storm as I did the year that Congress denied my very existence. But this time there's more."

"More? You're kidding!" said Stegosaurus.

"Sadly I am not. A third anonymous source told my second anonymous source that told my first anonymous source that the mammals want
my monument at the National Zoo taken down."

"The mammals in this city have lost their minds!" observed Stegosaurus. "I am so glad to have lost my Senate bid in 2008. What has your monument to do with Russia? I thought the mammals were done with their Cold War in 1991."

Congresssaurus Triceratops continued, "The triplicate anonymous source heard from a fourth anonymous source that a group of mammals were marching around my monument the other night carrying torches and chanting that 'Russia is our friend!' and subsequently it has been branded a gathering place for racists and it is hard for me to accomplish anything now."

"Does anyone do anything under their own name in this town, or is everyone anonymous?" asked Stegosaurus.

"Increasingly I think not," said Congresssaurus Triceratops, tears welling in his eyes. "I've served in a public capacity for over 70 million years though many forms of mammal government, and even before mammals were on the scene .... but I have not seen things this polarized since I was in the Roman Senate some 500 years ago. If the mammals stopped being anonymous around here and put their names to their actions, they'd have to actually be nice, and then they might accidentally solve a problem. For example it will cost $700,000 dollars to move my monument; money that would be better used repairing and improving public roads and services. They could donate money to a homeless shelter or orphanage. They could give money to universities that aid the education of their minority groups. They could stop believing every bit of propaganda they hear and read a book about me so that they know the good things I have accomplished in all my years of public service, and all that science has learned about me since I was discovered in 1889 by Professor Marsh. But maybe that's too much to ask."

"I am so sorry," said Stegosaurus. "Removing a monument is a disservice to the educations of millions of future citizens. What are you going to do about it?"

"I just don't think I'm going to run for re election in 2018," said Congresssaurus Triceratops. "I think I could accomplish much more outside these corrupt marble halls. Maybe I will join you in the pursuit of gardening and science. Have you extracted sunlight from cucumbers yet?"

"No, that I have not," conceded Stegosaurus. "Come help me anytime. I'm sure that if the two of us put our heads together we can solve the problem. I think if I could extract sunlight from cucumbers it might benefit the environment considerably. What will happen to the Dinosaur Congressional Caucus? Who will lead it?"

"I have not yet discussed my leaving with them; I have only told you. The new leader will be a choice for them to make at some point in time down the road," rejoined Congressaurus Triceratops. "Now speaking of roads, I must stomp over to Wyoming and visit with my constituents in June. I will, if you'd like stomp by Colorado and visit you on your 140 million and 11th birthday. Then, we may discuss the extracting of sunlight from delicious, delicious cucumbers."

"You are welcome to visit," said Stegosaurus. "You will find gardening and science much less stressful than mammal politics in Washington DC. This I know to be most certain."

It was so observed in the Spring that Dire Wolf kept his word and traveled from the La Brea Tar Pits in California USA to Johannesburg South Africa in order to visit Woolly Mammoth's Holy Pentecostal Church of the Pleistocene Revival as he had promised in August, 2016.

Kentrosaurus was outside trimming the hedges, ( but not eating the flowers ) when Dire Wolf arrived on Sunday, May 14th inst.,

"I am so overjoyed to see you!" exclaimed Kentrosaurus. "I rejoice that you have kept your word and come all this way to hear the Word of the Lord."

"A long journey have I made, Kentrosaurus, a very long journey. A pilgrimage it was just as in the Medieval age of mammals."

"Indeed! Welcome!" said Kentrosaurus. "Make yourself at home, brother Dire Wolf; I shall return anon with Woolly Mammoth. He shall rejoice to see thee, and I am sure provide a sermon for thy Spiritual well being."

Woolly Mammoth was at the rear of the Church, in the Prayer Garden, washing statues of Jesus and Saint Francis of Assisi with his trunk.

several varieties of song birds were chirping gaily, so accustomed to the presence of Woolly Mammoth that they were in no ways afraid of him.

The sun was shining, and there was not a cloud in the sky; a light, warm, pleasant breeze moved through Woolly Mammoth's wool, and he rejoiced in the late Spring harbinger of a delightful Summer and the joy the Season would bring.

"Woolly Mammoth! I must speak with you!" said Kentrosaurus.

"Of course, Kentrosaurus. What can I do for you, this fine day? I do hope all is well, canst thou hear thy relatives, the birds? How wonderful they sing, only the angels of the Lord may be more of a divine choir."

"Indeed, sir. Indeed. I ask if you recall Dire Wolf from our revival last summer in California at La Brea."

"Indeed I do recall him. I do think we saved his soul."

"You will rejoice to know that Dire Wolf is a wolf of his word. He promised to come to South Africa to see thee, and behold! He is here in the front yard, having traveled all the way from the United States."

"Bless the Lord Jesus. Our work has borne fruit. I have saved a soul."

"I know the morning sermon has passed; but will you provide some word from the Holy Book for him? He has come such a long way."


"Of course I will. At once."

And at once Woolly Mammoth and Kentrosaurus went to the front of the Church where Dire Wolf waited.

"Greetings brother Dire Wolf! I understand you have come a long way to see me and hear the Word of the Lord. Welcome to my home, and the Holy Pentecostal Church of the Pleistocene Revival."

"Yes I have made a mighty pilgrimage, Woolly Mammoth. I felt compelled by your sermon last summer to seek the light of the Lord Jesus Christ, King of Kings."

"Come to the garden with me. Kentrosaurus, you may leave your work on the hedges for the time being. We shall go 'round back and relax in the garden for a time. I feel compelled to give an impromptu sermon on Proverbs 10:29."

"Thank you sir," said Kentrosaurus.

Returned to the garden, Woolly Mammoth began his sermon.

"Brothers and sisters, birds of the air, Kentrosaurus, and brother Dire Wolf who has journeyed far to see us and hear the word of Christ, welcome. This afternoon, I feel compelled to speak upon The Book of Proverbs, Chapter 10 verse 29."

"Verily, The Good Book's wisdom says to us, "The Way of the Lord is a refuge for the righteous; but it is the ruin of those who do evil.
When troubles beset thee, trust in the Lord to see thee through them. Justice will prevail for those who believe, though times are tough and it may seem that evil prevails, The Lord will guard against thy ruin. Those who commit evil against their neighbor will, in turn be visited by evil, because their actions will condemn them to face their crimes before the Judge on Most High. Perhaps not on the spur of the moment; for justice is not always instantaneous; but bear thy burden with patience for the Lord has not forgotten."

"For the Way of the Lord is ruin for those who do evil; That which ye visit upon your neighbor, ye visit upon yourself. That which ye give shall be returned to thee; that which ye give shall be multiplied upon thee. It will be best for thee to keep this in mind, and to think before ye speak; give love and thou shalt receive love tenfold. Visit hate upon thy brother, and thou shalt have hate returned to thee TENfold. It is thy choice, so choose wisely. Choose wisely, brothers. The Lord watches thee, and knows thy heart. Be guided by His word, believe in His word, and ye cannot fail. Ye will be blessed. Amen."

Dire Wolf remained as a guest of the Woolly Mammoth Holy Pentecostal Church of the Pleistocene Revival for several months. Over this time he made many friends and his Spiritual health was attended to by regular sermons on a twice daily basis. Woolly Mammoth did not consider this to be a chore; he was delighted to know he had saved a soul.