I have always had an affinity for ducks. This may be because behind our house there is a duck pond that we spent many summers playing in or because of a book that I would read as a child entitled
Make Way for Ducklings. It was particularly fun because it takes place in my very own Boston, Massachusetts.
Every MA elementary school child has posed on these ducks during US history field trips
My little sister and I even attempted to raise a duckling during the spring of fifth grade. We hatched him in an incubator, taught him to swim (well... put him in the lake and allowed him to use his instincts to stay afloat), brought him to school for show and tell, and kept him away from our murdurous cat, Jane. My best friend Dana and I even named our pinewood derby car after him. He was a celebrity.
His name was Peepers. Adorable, I know.
Tragically, Peeper's life ended prematurely just shy of his three month birthday. We then attempted to raise a succession of five other ducklings who all mysteriously met the same fate as poor Peeper's. It turns out that it wasn't the ducks who were defective, but merely that they were unintentionally loved to death by adoring and over-zealous children.
All of this reminiscing brings me to my most recent duck encounter. While on a run yesterday, I happened upon the BYU Duck Pond rendition of the
afore mentioned children's book! On eighth north cars were lined up for several blocks on either side of a long line of jay-walking fowl. The pond-dwellers were attempting a pilgramage to the
Y- Lot across the street, but upon realizing it was just a sea of pavement, they'd hurry back to the water. This caused much confusion, squawking, and dawdling in the middle of the road. The traffic had obviously been lined up for a while as many drivers were beeping and yelling out windows. I took the situation into my own hands and bravely jogged into the street, inspiring several other amused passers-by to join me in sheparding the birds out of harm's way so that the cars could pass without creating a massacre. I wish there were pictures to document my spandex-clad self chasing ducks in the street.
I consider that to be my daily act of service. Ducks and drivers, you're both welcome...
