The Duck

I've been beyond busy.  Worked until 7pm the other night to finally catch up (there is no such thing as work EVER being done in live television) to the point where the stack on my desk wasn't 4 inches deep of single sheets of paper.  I then took a short lunch the following day so that I could take off early for "WSU Mom's Weekend" version 2012.

I packed my stuff up along with the tardy birthday gifts and cards that arrived after Ryan's birthday and had them ready to go so that when I left work early, all I'd have to do is get home, grab my stuff, empty my bladder, stop for Starbucks, stop for gas and be on my way!

And so it was.  Sort of.  My p.c. was shut down, I was grabbing my purse and keys when all of the salespeople in any capacity were called up front for an announcement.  And so my early dismissal was pushed back a skoche.  As soon as the exciting announcement was over, I raced home, grabbed the stuff, got my second tall, non-fat, with whip cinnamon dolce latte of the day - thinking I would need to stay up later than usual and filled up with gas... and at nearly $4 a gallon, I was shocked with the Jeep only took in $52.  So that was a nice surprise.

It was an uneventful drive and took less time that The Dad says it takes... both Ryan and I confirm he's wrong.  He swears he's right - but then this is the guy that says "No gratzi" to the locals in Cabo San Lucas.  And when corrected that it's "No gracias" - says "Same thing."  There was more traffic this year than last - in fact, I don't remember any other cars around me last year - so this next little "event" threw me for a loop.  In fact, had no one been around me (cars were close ahead AND behind me at this point) I would have screeched to a halt and done something.  Not sure what, but something.

I was just coming around the curve that leads up the incline that leads to the turn to Pullman when I see a dead duck on the side of the road.  I winced and felt sad, but it was what my eyes saw next that pierced me.  

Ducks travel in flocks.  If one lands, so does another.  

And there he was.  Sitting about 4 feet from his dead friend, nervous and backed away from the traffic.  And he was just waiting for him.  And the thought crossed my mind that while I knew ducks did this, that I didn't know how long he would wait for his pal to "come around".  And I started crying.  And I called Jeff.  And I blubbered to Jeff.  And when I got to Ryan's fraternity - I told him and welled up with tears again.  All the while, telling myself the other duck would be fine.  He would fly away, but never believing it.  Here I am two days later and the duck is on my mind.  

When I let Jeff know I was on my way home, I told him if my duck was still there, the dogs and the duck were going to be siblings.  He told me 'No ducks".  I wasn't so sure he was going to win on that.  I know ducks smell, I know that there might be concerns that Dan might favor "Roast" Duck for dinner... but anyone who really knows Dan, the dog, knows that it would be a quick chase, and all he really would want to do is snuggle up with him.  In my bed.  On Jeff's side.  Fo sho!

No cars were either in front of me or behind me as I left Pullman, my FIJI son, the Coliseum (not where concerts are played), Martin Stadium, The Cub and a really cool Starbucks, behind.

So as I came to the spot where a duck still lay on the side of the road and slowed to make sure his companion was nowhere to be found I breathed a sigh of relief.  The Dad won... Dan and I lost - and will not have a new "friend" to call our own.

But mostly, I'm just happy he finally flew away, or that his flock came to find out wtf? was taking them so long.  

Okay.  We found "That Thing You Do" on T.V. and the Oh-nee-ders are about to sing.  

Until tomorrow!