Mama Duck (Part 3)

Mama Duck (Part 3)

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He began to compliment ...
                                ---Anonymous
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The lilt in Mama's voice
communicated her pleasure.

She---

much too hugely, I
might add---

relished her smartly chosen
river post.

I, on the other hand,

although exceedingly
gratified by the Thoreau-
like scene before me,

did not appreciate
the pavemented park path's
pronounced uncoolness
that furnaced up to fierce
attack from underbike.

Her six fuzzy yellow-
brown little fluffballs
in the meantime---

every one eavesdropping
on our conversation
without a word or sign 
of protest---

foot-paddled doggedly

(or ought I say
duckedly?),

not too fast and not too slow,
although apparently without
concern.

They bobbed, maneuvered,
and strained to preserve
their positions alongside
and behind eminently
comfortable Mama.

"Well, for one you babysit
with such aplomb," I said
in response to her desire
for further information.

"OK," she said in fluent
ducktalk. "That is a good
one. Being a clever mother
requires being creative---
with style."

"Number two, you've picked
a mighty cool place--

out of the sun and in
shade-splattered water---

for doing it."

"Quack, quack. Yup, yup,"
she said, laughing, her bill
opening and closing like
bellows, her feathers
ruffling a bit at the effort.

"Not like you at all, huh?!"
she gloated.

"That's right. Not like me."

Quicker than a flashbulb going
off, Mama counted her half-
dozen little ones, taking them
in with her glance, checking, then
looked back at me.

"And?" she said, expectancy
sharpening her voice. "Is
there more?"

It appeared,

though I felt
sure she would never admit
to it,

that Mama might with
good reason crave adult
conversation.

"You keep them totally
occupied while you more
or less can relax."

"Quack, quack," she said.
"Yup. You've got that right."

"You've positioned yourself,"
I said, "so you can spot
predators before they come
so close as to present
a danger---

and can decide early on what
to do about them, if necessary,
so your babies can remain safe."

"Yup. You've got that right,
too."

She thought a moment,
rummaging through the closets
of her mind.

"Is there more?" she inquired,
now probably in an attempt at
needlessly prolonging
the dialogue.

(to be continued)