White elephant

It was a photo of this building, shown to me in Auckland, that lured me here to Prague.
Yet it was a full week from my arrival in the Czech capital before I found this, the magnificent painting that had led me here. I was footsore and had walked through much of Prague’s old town. My camera had run out of film. As I approached, an even more marvelous sight hove into view; an elephant solemnly strolled beneath, wearing a cloth banner that advertised his circus, while his keeper handed out leaflets. I reached for my camera and stopped with a groan, remembering my lack of film.

Two days later I returned to photograph the building, hoping beyond hope that an elephant might be strolling opportunely below its magnificent mural. There is no elephant in this photo, yet its memory is invisibly imprinted here, for none to see but me.