Suddenly the two lane traffic slowed to a grind. Not just on our side. It seemed the cars on the other side were slowing too. Some would suddenly zoom by with a little squeal of tires. It seemed so odd. I stuck my head out the window to catch a glimpse of what was holding up traffic.
Mother duck...Her ducklings were located in the drainage ditch on our right. Their goal? The pond to our left across the road.
I quickly swung the car over to the side of the road. A little gasp from K. Was I making her nervous? Maybe she thought I was driving into the water?
I opened the door and got out, my son smiling and rolling his eyes as, K said, "Where ya goin'?
"I'll be right back."
I walked down the center of double yellow lines and stopped equal to the position of the ducks, put my arms out wide and waved them (like flapping wings, now that I think of it.)
There's something about being a mother, myself, seeing another mother and her little ones in danger, that brings out the protectiveness in me.
I began edging my way right and left. The cars slowed to a creep, one zipped pass me. I gave the driver behind him an I-dare-you look. He smiled and threw his hands in the air and remained in place.
Now that all traffic was stopped heard only mother duck encouraging her little ones to follow her between this canyon of metal, asphalt and funny odors.
I could also hear K in the car... "Your mother is crazy!!!
X said. "You better get used to it."The cars stopped.
They had no choice with Crazy Lady blocking their way
Momma and babies all made it safely across to the pond.
I have no doubt one of the pond ducklings who hadn't gone on adventure snickered to the newly crossed over, "Your mother is crazy!
It seems that ducks have us people well figured out, as there are other stories similar to mine. There was one in the news about a cab driver. Maybe you have a duck story? It does not have to include teenagers If you have a duck story. Please feel free to share it in a comment.
I have a sad duck story.
ReplyDeleteI was once driving along "Bourton on the Water" High Street (a beautiful small cotswold town with a river running through it) where I used to live, when a mother Duck and her brood tried to cross the road.
They were waddling across, just doing fine, and the traffic had stopped both ways to allow them to do so ~ when an impatient tourist in a car overtook and drove through the line of tiny Ducklings, crushing two (killing them instantly) in the process.
It made me cry and it's the only time I've wanted to physically hurt a man.
They ducklings were so pitiful, and the mother was so distressed. And the stupid male driver didn't care.
Somehow it all seemed symbolic to me of the cut and thrust, sh*t on everyone society that the UK is turning into.
It made me feel despair.
Cut and thrust and all that, not just in UK. It's everywhere. We can only do our best to save the duckies we can, and to mourn the ones we lost.
ReplyDeleteI was driving to church with my friend one Sunday morning and we both noticed a Duck sitting on the wall that divided the freeway from the river. Then we looked below where the Duck was sitting and saw three little ducks trying to cross the freeway. I passed them before I realized what was going on and we looked back after we passed to see if they were still there but they weren't. I don't know where they went and I know that I didn't hit them. My friend and I every once in a while remember the little ducks and wonder where they went.
ReplyDelete