An Incident With Ducks

Several years ago, a few days before Christmas. while we were in our previous house, William, our cat, followed me out to the letter box, then he stopped. A pair of plump farm ducks waddled up the road. I suspect someone has tried to nab two early Christmas birds – our ducks had been ordered weeks before. This unexpected pair were very tame and pottered expectantly across the road to us. William retreated behind my legs like an alarmed pup.

To him they were obviously birds, but they were not acting as birds should and they’re much too big. When one began to investigate him, quacking loudly, he reared back in alarm and retreated without much dignity. They followed him. He bolted. All day they patrolled the street, giving drivers a dangerous fright.

I rang the powers that be, and by next morning the pair had disappeared. William scouted around very carefully for days afterwards when he came out with me to collect the mail.