Pennilane

Catch up with Eileen's previous
musings in her own personal archive.

"Simple Attraction"
By Eileen Linda McGondel

My name, as you know by the title, is Eileen. Sometimes I am called Pennielane, or just Pennie. I have been a professional Nanny for eleven years now, and am able to enjoy some of the several perks that go with my positions.

One perk, is my being able to enjoy being outdoors with my wards on a fairly regular basis, weather permitting, of course. In 2000, I was caring for two-and-a-half years old and we were able to walk to the local park, which was very close by and had a small pond.

On each of the nice days, I'd load the carriage with Miss Jackie and some snacks, and head down the hill from the house toward the park. To get to the park, however, we had to carefully cross a rather busy street. What I haven't mentioned yet, is that there is a small pond on both sides of the street, where we frequently were treated to the sights of wild ducks crossing from pond to pond to tend their businesses. Miss Jackie got the biggest kick out of watching those ducks, as well as the various chipmunks, squirrels, birds and reptiles.

I, for one reason or another, took an almost immediate fondness to this one particular pair of ducks that were obviously inseparable. The colorful male seemed to constantly dote on his female mate; he was constantly preening her feathers. That pair would walk from one pond across the busy street to the other pond, and back again each day. I saw traffic stop for them on more than one occasion.

For months, our trek to the park was pretty much a daily excursion, again, of course, weather permitting. Then there was a late foggy morning, yet we headed down there as usual, and as we crossed the road toward the park, I noticed an object in the middle of the road. My first thought was that it was a squirrel, or perhaps a skunk, but upon approaching it closer I saw that it had feathers. It was the female duck. She and her mate had obviously tried to cross the road to the other pond, and she did not make it. An automobile must have hit her, and I am sure she had no chance.

I felt horrible, almost distraught, as I looked around trying to locate the loyal male. He was not anywhere to be seen, and I dejectedly pushed the carriage across the road, heading straight for the park and its pond.

Imagine my instant joy at seeing the male swimming around safely in circles! But that joy faded quickly as I realized that many ducks take one mate for life; I felt immense sadness for what I knew that duck must have been feeling.

You see, a few months prior to this, my husband of 27 years and I had separated. As I continued watching the duck, quietly floating on that pond, I got a strong urge to see my husband. That duck, that simple, foolish, and hopelessly devoted duck caused me to then realize how my husband must have felt when we became divorced. After taking things slowly, we are now back together, and much happier than ever before.

The old adage: "Absence makes the heart grow fonder" is, to me, an absolute truth.

With the help of a couple of feathered friends, I truly was able to learn in my heart what true love really is.

ELM- 2004.