Stories We Tell Ourselves

A small incident can set off a story in our minds. For instance, a few days ago, on the way to town, there were some wild ducks standing in the road holding up traffic. It is the main road to town with a speed limit of 55 miles per hour. Four cars were stopped and taking turns passing on the open lane that the ducks didn't occupy. This morning, passing the same area, there were just two ducks, this time on the side of the road. The black one was sitting and the white one standing next to her. I say her because I made up a story about them.

A flock of wild ducks were flying south for the winter when they spied a beautiful creek and decided to go down for a closer look. Their feet were cold so they decided to stand on a stretch of black pavement they thought might warm them. Along came some very neighborly cars; that stopped to wish them well and proceeded slowly away. Then all of a sudden one of the ducks (a black duck) got the urge to lay an egg since it was a very fine place indeed. Her mate, a white duck, said he would stay by her side and the others bid them farewell and went on their way. The black duck wanted to nest on the side of the road instead of down by the creek because she liked to see the neighbors drive to town and she thought they might be safer from predators there. They had noticed from the air, many times, dead skunks and foxes and the like on the roads. So there they remained until........ to be continued

I wonder what stories Beau comes up with, when I drive out the driveway, come back a few minutes later, and leave again a few minutes after that, as I did today. Maybe he thought-- there she goes again. I bet she is going to the fiber group meeting in town. Oh, here she comes back again -- now she has forgotten whatever it is she is working on. O.K. now she has it -- I hope she isn't late.

I think my stories are more exciting.