A DUCK TALE...by b. Malin

Were we wrong? Should we have gotten Involved? I'll let you Dear Reader be the Judge.

The story I'm about to tell you took place last week during one of our early Evening Walks. It was a Beautiful Evening, and it was officially Summer. Lover Man and I live around the corner from the Bay, so we get to see a lot of Wonderful Swans, and Mallards, as well as Birds of all shapes and sizes. This account is about a Male and a Female Mallard.

We were rounding the corner and getting ready to cross the street when we noticed these two Mallards. He had just stepped off the curb, next to a house who's "sprinklers" had over shot a lot of the grass, and a large Puddle had formed. He was about to partake of a cooling bath. She was QUACKING at the top of her lungs at him. We both stopped to watch. I translated to Lover Man. "She is Pissed off at him...Who does that? Swimming in a dirty Puddle when he's got the whole Bay around the corner". She stopped Quacking long enough to nod in my direction. "See" I said excitedly.

Lover Man answered smugly, as only a Male would. "Well, what's the big deal, the Puddle isn't muddy...and she's always on his case. This is not the first time that we've seen them and she's not "QUACKING" about SOMETHING". Mr. Mallard, looks at Lover Man and nods in recognition. Now he is looking at Ms. Mallard and neither one of them is saying anything. All of a sudden, Mr. Mallard takes off in flight and leaves her standing on the sidewalk Speechless. She looks at us, and we look at her, and then she just simply walks away."Oh, I sigh, I hope Everything will be ok." "It will be fine", Lover Man says reaching for my hand as we continue on our walk.

Now we are walking near the Bay when Lover Man say's, "Look there he is, with two other Male Mallards". "Yeah, I reply, probably telling HIS side of the story...Look how they are Nodding their heads up and down." Mr. Mallard turned as we walked by and I swear he gave Lover Man a raised Wing...Lover Man just smiled. "He's with his "home boys" he'll go back to her, probably wants to let her suffer a little". "And why would that be"? I said sarcastically. And then we both realized we were taking sides and we started to laugh.

Now it is the following Evening and we are both feeling a little anxious as we hurry our walk along. Neither wants to admit to the other that we are anxious to get to that block, because that's where the two of them usually hang out. I think that neighbor feeds them dinner. At first we don't see her as we approach the house. We turn the corner and there she is "QUACKING" at us, at the top of her lungs...She looks Panic Stricken as she is walking towards us. I bend down and say, "Didn't he come back"? She Quacks, {I swear} "No". Lover Man says, "We can't stay here, there's nothing we can do". "Well, I feel like it's our fault...If we hadn't said anything"....My voice trails off. "Honey, you're not really serious", Lover Man replies. "She was ALWAYS nagging him...I'd have left too if I were him". "Do you think I NAG you too Much? I ask, suddenly feeling like I want to cry. Ms. Mallard has stopped QUACKING and is looking up at us as if she's waiting for Lover Man's reply. "Of course not honey...well maybe sometime...Only kidding...Maybe we all need to Lighten up, Sometimes...But it doesn't stop my Love for you." Ms. Mallard sounds like she just gave a sigh.

Meanwhile from out of the Sky we look up to see a large bird coming in for a landing. It is Mr. Mallard! He lands at her feet and their bills touch and then they simply walk away. We look at one another and smile as Lover Man takes my Hand and we too walk away to enjoy another Summer's Evening Walk. I want to turn around and look, but Lover Man say's, "Let it Be, Let it Be".