This is a true story about some feathered friends that were on their way to the closest pond, however, they took the toll-road highway instead of flying the friendly skies.
On this one day, while tending to my duties at the toll booth, I looked up to see a mass of little furry, web-footed ducks coming down the paved exit lanes. The pavement was steaming hot that day from the sun beating on it and the baby ducks couldn't be but a day or two old. I had several thoughts as to how to get them out of harms way. I closed off 2 of the exit lanes where they were so I could keep all the traffic away from them. I also called for back-up support for I knew this was going to be more then I could handle.
As the group got closer I started to count, one, two, four, six - no 7 babies in all and one mother leading them my way! I was anxious for help to arrive for I knew once they got thru the lanes I wouldnt be able to keep them out of the traffic and they would be hit. I waited. They were right at the booth now, as they passed I took some more of my traffic and cautioned the drivers to beware. Then I saw help finally coming down the ramp, it was the maintenence workers that help tend the highway, big guys that have to handle all kinds of dilemmas.
I cleared the traffic away and turned my attention back to my little bundle of web-footed cuties but there was something wrong! No Mother! I stepped out of my booth, looking up and down the highway, I looked up in the sky, all around, and the mother was gone. Now what am I going to do with all these babies? As the men approached I told them of my dilemma and asked what we should do. They retrieved a big box and hunted for the mother also but she was gone. With the mother being gone we all knew that we would have to catch the babies and someone would have to become their "Mom".
I ran more traffic, the babies were on the other side of my booth by now and the men were trying to guide them over to the other side, away from all the traffic. They tried to pick them up but the babies werent going to have any of that! The men took their hats off and tried to scoop them up and after several attempts, with the babies scurrying as fast as they could ,the men were finally successful. All were in the box and safe.
The men and I were very happy to have saved the babies but we were all stumped as to where the Mother had gone, we never did find her or see her again. This meant that someone was going to have to care for these tiny creatures and that someone became me. I worked the day thru with my box of little ones at my feet, peeping all the day. I thought to myself that I didnt have proper knowledge as to how to care for these little ones or for that matter, not enough time either. I worked so many long, strange, hours that I knew I couldnt care for the ducks as they needed. What to do..........I know!
When I finished my shift I loaded my group into the car and off we went to my Mom & Dad's! They are animal lovers and in particular, bird lovers! As I arrived in their drive, I crossed my fingers for luck that this would go well. I looked around for signs of my parents in the yard, it was quiet, everyone was in the house. I took the box out of the car and tried to quiet the "cheep-cheep-cheep" that was being emitted from the box I carried but it was too late, we were heard! Out of the house came Mom and Dad with quizical looks on their faces. There I stood, with uniform on, trying to steady this big box that had these noises! They came up right away, taking the box and without word, they fell in love with my little bundle of web-footed friends. As my parents made a fencing yard for the babies, they asked how I came to have the babies and I told them the whole story. From that day forward my parents cared for them and raised the ducks till they were grown.
They took my Dad as their "Mom" and would follow him all over the yard when he was outside. In the morning, they would call for him to come and be with them, he would feed them their cracked corn and "talk" to them. Mom and Dad would get the water hose out and the ducks and my parents were quite a sight to watch. They spent many hours that long, hot, summer enjoying that bundle of ducklings and I might add, the ducklings growing big and strong and loving their new Mom & Dad.
The time came though, that it was time to release them back into the wild. There was a nice pond in the next town that had many ducks and other wildlife. My parents loaded them in their van, what a sight to behold. The babies were no longer babies! They were adult size now and they weren't very happy about leaving their happy home that they had. My parents backyard is small for 7 big ducks to exist on so they knew they had to take them to the pond and it broke my parents hearts to have to take them away. They consoled themselves with the fact that they could go and visit their furry friends as often as they wanted . Loading the ducks was a major event as they didnt want to leave, but Dad somehow got them all in that van. Down the road my parents went, bundle in-tow.
They arrived at the lake and opened the back doors of the van, out came the ducks, one by one. Waddeling all around my Dads legs, they were content to stay with him. Dad had to walk to the waters edge with his group following him and persuade all 7 to get in this big pond. The ducks were not interested at first but then as my parents sat down and showed them the water, the ducks finally got in. My parents stayed a long time, with sad hearts, watching them swim away. It was best for all though and in that knowledge, my parents found a serenity in their decision. After all, they had saved the ducks from an unknown future and gave them a good start for hopefully, a long healthy future.
That was two summers ago and every time any of my family go by the pond, we all look to see the ducks and wonder if it they are any of the gang Mom and Dad raisedĘ that long, hot summer.
by Melodie