Wish I'd Said It

Weeds are flowers too - once you get to know them.

- A. A. Milne

Thursday, June 28, 2007

Larry The Lucky Ducky (Issue #142)

Once upon a few days ago, I went for a walk along my creek. As most of you know, I'm on a rigorous fitness program these days. Well, perhaps rigorous isn't quite the right word -- let's call it listless-plus.



Sometimes, like on this particular day, I take my camera with me. I do this in case I come across some flowers or wildlife that would make a nice pic. It's hardly ever because I've been walking for 10 freaking minutes already and want an excuse to pause for a bit.



See? Those were sort of interesting-looking flowers and get ready to "Awww" because here comes some cute baby duckies.



Told ya.

Occasionally, when in the outdoors, one comes across real-life scenes of drama. (You know, like the stuff you see on Discovery, only in 3D and Smell-O-Vision but you don't have to wear cardboard glasses and scratch any cards and then sniff your finger.) Anyway, this was one of those days.

In the distance, I caught a glimpse of something yellow. Readers of my book know that decades of outdoor experience have honed my Heightened Awareness to such a degree that I can catch a 6-inch trout and by the time I release it, I actually perceive it as it will appear in 5 years. Which explains all the record-breaking fish I've lost. Anyway, my HA told me this was no ordinary bit of flotsam. I hurried forward for a closer look.



I couldn't be positive from this angle but it appeared to be a young duckling in distress. I stealthily approached from the other side, being careful not to disturb the undoubtedly distraught creature.

I was right. It was a fine specimen of Duckus Rubbernica, Hollywood genus.



Speaking quietly and mindful of that beak, which even at this young age was powerful enough to crush algae, I reached out and plucked the lucky ducky from its predicament. Suddenly picturing him in suspenders and leaning on a desk quacking at Paris Hilton (HA is not always controllable) I decided to call him Larry.

With an affectionate scratch behind where his ears would be if he was a dog, I bade Larry farewell and released him into the main current.

He looked happy enough but I had to question his choice in sunglasses. They were stylish, sure, but appeared to be a titch too heavy for him, resulting in balance issues.



Aside from his decision to go with style over stability, Larry appeared to be in fine fettle and continued on his journey to Lake Ontario, only a couple of miles away.



Bye Larry! Good luck and Godspeed!

PS: That night, I had a dream that my foot hurt and Larry came to me and nibbled a thorn out of my toe.

19 comments:

Cath Smith said...

Now that sounds like my kind of exercise regime. :D

Anonymous said...

Very cute and good pics. However I think you're wrong about Larry looking happy. To me, as ducks go, he's a little... down.

Frank Baron said...

Cath, you're welcome to come along if you're ever in the neighbourhood. :)

q, as always, you quack me up. ;)

Crabby McSlacker said...

Very entertaining series of pictures! I'm sure Larry was pleased to be redirected and not thrown cruelly in a garabage can.

I have this unfortunate problem, though, of having a hair trigger for horrible-novelty-song flashbacks. So now I have "Rubber Ducky (I'm awfully fond of you)" going through my head.

Its truly excruciating and I blame you for it! However, the best cure for a wretched song flashback is pass it on to someone else. Hope you know Rubber Ducky because I'd like to be rid of it myself.

Frank Baron said...

My dear Crabby, I am (almost) sorry to say I don't know that song.

How about...

"Aw honey (doo-do-dit-dit-doo-do) aww, sugar-sugar (doo-do-dit-dit-doo-do)...you are my candy girrrrrrrrrl...."

You're very welcome. ;)

Moby Dick said...

Cool ducks and Larry too. At the local parks my daughter and I drop by and feed them bread. Probably not the best nutrition, but other folks feed them popcorn. The ducks seem to love it!

Kappa no He said...

I love that "listless-plus".

I read an enormous article in the New Yorker or Harpers (or somewhere) once about the whole culture that surrounds our cute furry, eh...rubbery friends.

There are actually groups of scientist out there who track them all around the world, note their color degradation, stomach contents...all that.

Joanne said...

Great pictures, Frank. Leave it to you to find a Hollywood duck while you're fishing. ;)

Althea said...

Larry? *nods*
I'm going to be writing more these holidays. About darn time too...and yes, I did get your comment... ;)
Have a lovely day

Anonymous said...

What a swanky duck. Wicked hawt!

Stace said...

When Aidan and I were in Bath, England, we searched high and low for a rubber ducky... alas, one was not to be found! We had no rubber ducky in Bath :( I'm glad you rescued Larry, I'm sure he's all the better for it.

Frank Baron said...

Spidey, they're fun to watch aren't they?

Well Kappa, if they track Larry, he'll have some stories to tell. ;)

Thanks Jo. :)

Glad to hear it Althea. I'll be checking it out. :)

Omni, I guess hawtness is in the eye of the beholder. :)

Stace, I can only imagine your pain at being unducked in Bath. Glad you survived. :)

Anonymous said...

Apparently we're bracing ourselves in this state of high terror for a major invasion ... by rubber ducks.

Click the link to read the story

Frank Baron said...

Thanks for that link Slickster. That's a nifty story. I'd love to find one of those one day. :)

Leah J. Utas said...

Go Larry!

Othmar Vohringer said...

Nice pictures and neat story. Glad you rescued that rubber ducky.

-Othmar Vohringer-

Frank Baron said...

Leah, he sure went. :)

Thanks Othmar. :)

Lois Karlin said...

His apparent lack of balance may have had more to do with examining the lake bottom for food, don't ya think?

Frank Baron said...

Lois, that possiblity didn't occur to me. You may well be correct! That eases my mind. Thanks. :)