Saturday, October 23, 2010

Quackie Needs a HEA

With what a deep devotedness of woe
I wept thy absence - o'er and o'er again
Thinking of thee, still thee, till thought grew pain,
And memory, like a drop that, night and day,
Falls cold and ceaseless, wore my heart away!
~Thomas Moore


This is something that's tugged on my heartstrings for some time now. You see... we have a person up the road with a pond. Several years ago, they brought in four white ducks.

The ducks paired off as animals will and lived happy lives on the pond, swimming and eating duck food and playing duck games.

Then one day as we drove by, we saw one of the ducks had clearly been killed by something. Its body was lying motionless and its feathers scattered hither and yon. The people removed its body, and left only three ducks.

Every time we drove by, two ducks were close to each other, and one duck floated nearby, but excluded. Still, he had his flock.

The next year, the three ducks returned to the pond. We'd hoped that duck number three would have found mate, but he didn't. Then, one day he was gone -- we assume he flew away to go find his happy ever after and were happy for him.

Then there were two.

For the last few years, there have been two white ducks hanging out at the pond. They're occasionally joined by mallards and Canadian geese, and once there was a heron. I love to drive by and watch the goings-on.

Until a month or so ago... when suddenly...

There was only one.

Poor little Quackie was all alone. For several days, I hoped that I was only just not seeing the other duck, but she never reappeared. Poor Quackie was so lonely. Whenever a few mallards would show up, she happily joined their flock. But then they left, and she would stay, alone, at her pond.

Ducks are flock animals. They aren't meant to be alone. And every time I drive past and see poor Quackie floating in her solitude, my heart breaks.

Next year, if and when Quackie returns, I hope these people bring in new ducks. I'm so sad about the whole deal that I might just go and offer to buy them a few new ducks, just so I don't have to watch poor Quackie all alone.

Quackie needs a HEA.

====================




You Are Simply Fun



You're out to have a blast, and you enjoy almost any activity. You are naturally upbeat.

You don't need to have a wild time to live it up, but you don't object to a little adventure either.

You don't get bored easily. You can always figure out a way to entertain you and your friends.

You are creative and resourceful. You think a lot of things can be fun - it's all about attitude.



Okay.... and yeah, I'm not going bungee jumping. Just saying.

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7 comments:

Maria Zannini said...

If Quackie gets a friend, I hope s/he is as smart as Quackie and able to evade what's been attacking them. Poor things.

If the bodies are left, it makes me wonder if it was a dog (or big cat) that killed them.

What do you think got them?

Xeranthemum said...

maybe coyote, Maria Z.

but yeah, that IS sad. I think I'd even donate a few $$ to you if you really did end up buying a few more ducks to make a new flock for Quackie...

anno said...

Oh, this makes me sad... ducks NEED a flock: ours "talk" to each other all day long; one alone seems way sad. I'd be tempted to buy a couple just to release on the pond, even WITHOUT permission. Hope yours gets the HEA it deserves!

Been thinking about you lately,
xoxo

Brandy said...

Ohhh, poor Quackie. Your story made my heart hurt for the lonely duck. I hope Quackie finds a mate or a flock to join soon.

Hope your day is going well.

Tori Lennox said...

Oh, poor Quackie. :(

Marianne Arkins said...

Yeah ... next year if Quackie shows up alone, I'm going to have to visit those folks and tell them I'll buy them ducks.

It tears my heart out. I can't wait until Quackie migrates...

Marianne Arkins said...

Maria, I don't know what got the first one -- his was the only body we saw. Maybe a dog or cat? The others just disappeared. We have so many predators here, it's hard to guess: fox, coyote, fisher cat... :::shrugs::::