Jealousy is a negative emotion and almost never helps a friendship or relationship.

My trusty dictionary uses words like, intolerance, rivalry and unfaithfulness. It is not a good trait.

But as I studied and thought about my own memories, I found it is not just humans who struggle with jealousy. Animals understand feelings of rivalry and unfaithfulness.

If the family dog or cat enjoys being the only one people adore and then a new one is introduced, at least at first, the first one will not like it one bit being disgraced. Hopefully, they work it out between the two better than humans do.

Extended jealousy can lead to unhappiness and even bodily harm for humans and animals.

I have written this story before but I cannot, in good conscious, leave it out as an example of jealousy. I share it today almost word for word with you.

The thing was, I knew better! Have you ever stood right there in broad daylight and done something you absolutely knew was wrong?

If there is one thing I claim to know something about it is animal behavior. Therefore, there is no excuse for what I did.

A few years ago, a young man walked into the Jean and Gene Bakery and announced a wondrous blessed event had just occurred in our small hands-on zoo area on our island. The resident pair of African elephants had produced a baby over the weekend and he knew I’d want to see it.

Well, that was an understatement. I waved goodbye to Gene, and off I went on my three-speed bicycle.

Have you ever seen a new baby elephant? I parked my bike and was drawn straight to this precious, wrinkly, slightly pink baby.

I was speechless, a fairly uncommon state for me. All I wanted to do was lay my hands and my head on his.

One of the workers there saw me and hurried over. “Jean,” he said, “I bet you can’t wait to get in there with the baby, huh? But listen, I know I don’t have to tell you this but Big Daddy is having a hard time right now. He is used to all of the attention here and now he is pretty jealous of junior.”

He was telling me to spend time with Big Daddy first. Did I heed his advice? No.

I meant to and I actually veered towards the big guy to congratulate he and his wife.

But Daddy was madly pacing back and forth in the huge enclosure like some VIP wresting with some weighty decision.

I spoke to him and even rubbed his massive sides but, I don’t know, he seemed to need a whole lot more than that.

It was then I did something very wrong. As naturally as slipping my hand in the cookie jar, I turned and reached for the baby.

Baby elephants are deliciously soft and I began to rub his sweet body. I was his forever and that must have been the problem.

I did not see it coming.

I cannot recall what Big Daddy said or did those next few minutes because I wasn’t paying any attention to anything but the baby.

I am positive Daddy had sized me up as insensitive and plain ignorant, so his master plan swung into action.

The pacing stopped. He walked deliberately over to a large metal water trough used for bathing.

He bent his massive head, lowered his trunk into the water and with a mighty suck, filled it as full as it would go.

Understand now that this water was as foul and filthy as you can imagine.

Then, without missing a beat, he walked over to where I stood, aimed like a pro, and with an earth shaking effort, blew every gallon of that nasty and oozy water all over me. I mean from head to toe.

I could not believe it. The stench alone made me gag and even drove the baby away.

Big Daddy — I swear this is true — sat back on his big behind, put his hands on his hips and grinned the sickest grin I’d ever seen.

Most folks can’t understand animal language but I can and he was definitely saying, “I told you I was top dog — I mean elephant — around here. So don’t you forget it.” 
I slunk away, got on my three-speed and tried my best to ride fast enough to blow the water and the stink to either side of me. I also prayed I would not see anyone I knew.

When I got back to our store and walked in the front door, Gene’s head jerked up like I was some actively protesting skunk. He said for me to go home and take a long soapy hot shower and only then could I come back to the store.

I left. I did the shower thing. I even still loved animals. I returned to help at our store.

I absolutely knew better than to do what I did. But I did it anyway.

Jealousy can make us do things we know are wrong and hurtful. So let us recall when jealousy creeps into our minds and hearts, that it is a bad thing. Don’t mess with it.

The view from the mountain is wondrous.

Jean Brody is a passionate animal lover and mother. She previously lived in Winchester, but now resides in Littleton, Colorado. Her column has appeared in the Sun for more than 25 years.