Theodore (Teddy) awoke with the gentle nudging of his Mother's bill.
"Come on sleepy head," his Father said motioning his head toward the path
to the river. The sun was warming Teddy's yellow fuzzy feathers as he yawned and stretched. As he waddled down the path trying to keep up a close
distant, to his parents he saw a frog shoot its tongue and snatch a dragonfly back into its mouth. Turning his eyes back to the path and Mom
and Dad, Teddy felt a strong breeze, and never saw the hawk pluck the frog that was still licking its lips.
The river was chilly and refreshing as he eased in, sending minnows scattering like wicked mercury. Teddy picked up his pace again, in order to nestle in between both parents, who in mourning conversation closed him out like elevator doors. They wished "G'morning," to the Egrets and Turtles and even the Alligators from a safe distance. Every morning the village children would save their crusts of bread from breakfast and meet at the bridge to throw the scraps to the ducks. Large, old, concrete, and rounding like a banana the bridge was. The side rails gave access to crummy, small hands, and eyes filled with laughter, yet there was no fear of going over with the toss. They loved "Bready" (thats what they called him) as he raced back and forth snagging crust after crust. The kids made a game of it lining up across one side and alternating tosses for the most distant. By now Mom and Dad were full and Teddy was starting to slow down, to the point that the now very small pieces were just becoming fish food.
"Come along, Teddy", Mom said sweetly.
"KERPLUNK!" Teddy knew that sound and the smell hit him just as fast. Banana Bread! He came flying back, which was the first time he had ever become airborne, and dove! It was quiet underwater, he thought as his eyes focused on the treasure. Cradling the large hunk in his small bill, he turned and raced for the surface. He broke through to the sounds of applause and wild giggling. Throwing his head back, he chewed the still warm baked wink of golden sweet amazement.
His parents were well down the river when Teddy came to, from the rush of sugar and sounds of childish triumph. Feeling full in its truest sense, he started to hurry with tale swishing, back to the path. He was still quite far off when he saw his parents at their path. There was something very odd, though. An old man was with them. The cloud like beard and flowing gray rob made the old man look like he was the sky. Teddy swam faster, and faster, but by the time he got to their path all three were gone.
Teddy raced up the trail to their nest. Not there! He raced back to the river. Not there! Waddling slower now, worry was setting in. "Where could
they be?" Teddy thought. "Mom! Dad!" Teddy repeated, walking past the nest into parts still unexplored. "Mom! Dad!" echoed over the rocky terrain. Teddy's webbed feet were now hiking up. Calling and walking, calling and walking became his mantra. Finally he came to the summit of the hill and he squinted, searching across the vast valley. The movement below was confusing to Teddy. Humans leading pairs of all sorts of animals to a large object, maybe a house, Teddy thought. He saw no
ducks, much less his Mom and Dad. Fear found him even at his high vantage point. It came on like a nagging cold and turned to icy illness. He noticed that the world was becoming blurry as the pre tears gained strength before charging down his bill. His eyes filled as soon as they were wiped clear. Then he just gave himself over and wept, and wept, and wept. He could not see what effect he was having, as his tears ran down the hill and pooled in the base of the valley. He wept and filled, wept and filled, wept and filled until it was full. The large wooded object just floated away.
MORAL:
You never "Noah" when You're going to help fulfill someone else's
prophecy.
©2003 Daniel J Harris