It’s a take-my-duck-the-pond-and-swim kind of day. Since the lil fatty can’t fly, I have to walk him there. I span my arms out like airplane wings and corner him to do so. On one arm, I tuck him in football style, and on the other, I bring my laptop to write.
I no longer juke and jive to get him. I’ve learned staying planted, and closing in slowly and consistently helps me not fall for his Shaquille O’Neal basketball head fakes.
You know the song on The Lil Rascals? “I got a dollar, I got a dollar. I got a dollar, hey hey hey hey!” I’m singing it in my head right now, but instead of dollar, it’s duck.
I forgot to tell you I got a KitchenAid mixer. For free! Dave joined BuyNothing and put his name in for it, along with 42 other people, and by the luck of the draw, he got chosen. I’ve been obsessing over recipes on TikTok ever since.
“Sittin’ in the morning sun. I’ll be sittin’ ’til the evening comes. Watchin’ the ships roll in. Then I watch ’em roll away again. I’m sittin’ on the dock of the bay wasting time.”
What a peaceful ambling day Otis Redding paints. Interesting how he never heard himself on the radio, Dave shared an article with me that he died before the song ever came out.
The sky’s darkening slightly, and a breeze rustles the leaves on the tree’s tops. My feet are tingling asleep, and the duck is floating on the water like a decoy. Rain could fall any minute.
There’s a bald eagle in the distance, and it’s far too high to see my duck. It’s circling now, and a dog’s barking. I hear a crow and a chirping bird—an airplane. I keep trying to say other than that; it’s quiet. But an Amazon van just drove by too.
It’s a slow and simple Friday over here. Maybe I should go in and make cookies with frosting.
I just called my duck, “Here, duck, duck, duck,” to follow me. He quacked lightly in response. Hopefully, he’s ready to go too.
I’ll see you here tomorrow.
Love,
Jaclynn
Going On 40 