Tenacious Ted

So, I’m driving to a job interview this morning, and to get there I have to drive by first dam, which is, as always, super-populated with copulating waterfowl this time of year. As I make my way round the dam I happen to look in my rearview mirror at precisely the right moment, and I see a flash of black streak from the sky and overwhelm a spot of white. I instantly flip a u-turn and drive back there, where I find a juvenile Bald Eagle clutching a white duck. This is one of those times when I could kick myself for not having a camera with me. I was impressed mostly with the Eagle, whereas Pulcheria (whom I was taking to work) had sympathy mainly for the unfortunate duck. I had no time to go home to grab the camera, so I had to just drive away while others were pulling off the road and getting out of their cars for a closer look.

After my tragically brief interview I went home to grab the camera and make the sojourn back to the hunting grounds where, of course, I could find no trace of the raptor. Not even a feather. I did, however, find the duck. Alive. He’s not exactly thriving, with chunks of feathers torn out and a slight limp, but on the whole he’s surprisingly healthy considering his close encounter with one of North America’s most prestigious avian predators. I called Pulcheria to tell her the good news. “Let’s name him Ted,” she said. Who am I to argue?