Saturday, October 15, 2005

Campus ducks

I was walking yesterday morning from my car to my office when I realized I was being accompanied by a pair of ducks. They had emerged from some underbrush beside the walkway, and our paths converged on the stairs leading up from the parking lot. Quacking amiably, they walked up the stairs beside me. At the top of the stairs, our paths diverged again.

What is this special affinity ducks have for university campuses? Every university I've ever spent any length of time at has had its share of campus ducks, who seem to like to hang out on expanses of concrete, unperturbed by the press of humans around them. Indeed, they are often like pushy New Yorkers, quacking irritably if you get in their way. In the aftermath of a rain storm, they can be found hanging out in the many puddles that dot the concrete, in spite of the fact that -- as was the case at York and is the case here at MUN -- there's a perfectly good pond right on campus. But they'd apparently hang out in the public areas of campus. I wouldn't be at all surprised to one day see a gaggle of them wearing Roots or the Gap, sitting on the steps of the student center smoking and reading.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Evidence that there is some truth to the statement, "My doctor was a quack!!!" Sorry, couldn't resist!!

Anonymous said...

I guess the campus pond ain't all it's quacked up to be. Oh! Groan!

Chris in NF said...

Y'know Mom, I expect those sorts of jokes from Dad ... I'd hate to think, after all these years, he's starting to influence your sense of humour. :-)

Anonymous said...

After all of these years of exposure to his humour, I'm quacking up. Har! Har! But don't let it get you "down"!!!

Lesley said...

Heh, your mom is funny. Leave her be! I swear, those are the NF relatives of the ducks on the Thames here in London. I'm sure you've been chased off the running path along the Thames behind Labatt Park by some self possessed ducks who felt you were on their turf at least once. It's the ones that are in the puddles in the parking lots you have to be worried about. The Gap wearing ones are harmless.

Anonymous said...

I hope these campus aquatic avian entities aren't getting you 'down'.'Eider' they are or they aren't but notwithstanding,you cannot 'duck' the issue!!! Rememmber what that renowned seafarer, Sir Francis 'Drake' once said when asked about seeing them in his travels. Only once, but I was 'Peking'. I'm letting you have this humourous bit for free. You will not be 'billed'.

Anonymous said...

Thank you, Lesley!!!!!!