Wednesday morning, the day of the massive rainstorm in Michigan, I was out running my normal run, and had to pause in sympathy as I saw three male mallard ducks surrounding a dead female mallard in a grassy area next to a busy road. I can only assume she'd been run over by a car and somehow got to the grass. I felt such sympathy for those ducks as they surrounded their friend.
For those of you not in Michigan, we had torrential rains starting mid-morning on Wednesday through Thursday night. My rain gauge measured three and a half inches. Roads and basements were flooded.
My next run was Friday afternoon. As I got closer to the spot where I had seen the mourning ducks and their dead friend, I actually grew anxious. Would the poor female mallard's body have been washed away in the deluge or would she still be there? As I grew closer, I almost started to cry. Not only was the female mallard's body still there, but one male mallard remained at her side, keeping vigil for whatever duck reasons he might have.
What amazing loyalty through hell, or at least high water, for that duck to have remained at the dead duck's side. And it makes me question how much different, really, is the rest of the animal planet from the human race.
Rest in peace, lady duck.
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