Elephants and poodles and horses, oh my

My girl friends are all dreaming of horses and poodles. It seems they want to feel themselves as free as the wind flying over fields, or dripping in diamonds and pearls with well coifed pups in their laps.

I am nine years old and I am dreaming of elephants.

Not real elephants, but a huge mechanical one!

I want a full sized elephant that looks and feels real, but is not. He will have two handles over his ears that I can alternately pull to make him go and he will be hollow inside.

My whole family will ride high up on top on a big rug where we are safe from everything in the world. Inside it we will store food and whatever we need to live.

I know as long as we are together and on this elephant it won't matter where we are.