Oorgo

One less quack

We drive killing machines
We drive them every day, they roll across dead manufactured soil, they stop only when the other machines stop. They obey us but we are not their masters. Our laws are the only things that prevent us from constantly killing each other, although we do kill often enough: when we're not looking, not thinking, half-asleep.

Tonight I was heading home on the freeway I always travel when the traffic all slowed to a halt suddenly. I was a few cars behind what was happening so I didn't see what was going on, I thought I saw what looked like a sparrow running around between tires, in circles. When I realized what it was and my trajectory it was too late, I felt the tiny bump as I crushed it into the asphalt. I was aghast and then I looked to my right; there was a mother mallard and 5 or 6 ducklings following her safely to the curb on the far side of the freeway. One of her young had gotten seperated from the flock and lost its way, only to find death under my front tire.

I remember the little guy running in circles near the curb, I had no time to stop. I had horrible images of my own child lost or seperated from me, running in circles because he couldn't find me. I can't say I wasn't moved and deeply saddened. Silly isn't it? A duckling?

Please, remind your children to stick close to the flock.