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| My life was pretty normal until about two years ago when it changed forever. The city built the Greenway, and my days now are filled with anxiety. Quiet days wading the creek alone are over. Construction of the Greenway was pretty bad. Buzzing chain saws, growling machinery, and the noises created by cutting a 20-foot-wide paved trail through the woods almost convinced me to pack up and move. Now, I’m glad I stayed. I’m glad because I’ve made a new friend, and I don’t know what I would have done without him. He’s the only one who seems to appreciate me and who allows me to be what I am, a Great Blue Heron. He respects me. He admires me. And I like that. I can relax and be myself with him. I got acquainted with Harvey during the early days of the Greenway, when the cutting of trees and clearing of underbrush started. I would see him walking along just after daybreak, climbing over rocks and fallen trees, stopping to watch and listen to the water rushing over rocks and cascading down tiny waterfalls. I knew he saw me, but he didn’t make a big deal about it. He pretended not to notice me, but occasionally I’d catch him looking at me. I could tell he appreciated the woods, the creek, the animals, and even herons. He tried not to disturb me and the other animals, and I liked that. The animals and other birds feel the same way, I think. They let him get really close to them. He never makes any loud noises. He doesn’t make sudden moves. And he never throws anything at us, just to see us scurry or fly away. He acts like what he is, a guest in our home. I can’t say that about many others who walk, run, and bike along the Greenway. Some people are just downright scary. They bring all the noises of their normal lives into the woods and down to the creek. Loud talking, shouting, and talking on cell phones so loud they really don’t need a cell phone. I don’t know what it is with humans and cell phones. It’s as if they’re on life support. They can’t stop talking on him, even down by the creek, walking through the woods. I wonder why they’re on the Greenway anyhow. If they’re going to do what they do at home, at work, and in their cars, why bother walking the Greenway. They can’t relax if they’re so anxious about their lives that they can’t stop talking about them for the few minutes they could be communing with nature. Cell phones have their place. I even have one. I appreciate cell phones, but I don’t use mine very much. In fact, I keep it turned off most of the time. I call my sister in Florida about once a month. That’s about it. . . . and I call out for a pizza now and then. I get tired of a steady diet of fish and mussels. Gets monotonous. Herons don’t even like water all that much. Why do you think we have such long legs? It's to keep our bodies as far away from the water as possible. We stand on one leg a lot, to keep one foot dry. And why do you think we have such long beaks? So we don’t get our face wet. Herons don’t make much noise. Mostly we just stand and stare at water all day. We don’t talk much. Besides I don’t like the way my voice sounds. I was never a songbird, but my voice is worse than most Great Blue Herons, since my accident. The accident changed my voice. I was standing in the creek one day, like usual, when I spotted this bullfrog. I clamped my beak over his head. He instinctively grabbed me by the throat. I couldn’t swallow him, because he wouldn’t let go of my throat. It was a real struggle. He couldn’t breathe, because his head was down my throat. I couldn’t breathe because he was choking me. It was a battle of the wills. Finally, we both let go at the same time. I don’t know what happened to the frog, but since then my voice sounds like my neck is caught in a car door. So I don’t speak much. It kind of embarrasses me. However, when I do, it’s just one short croak. But when I see Harvey, I croak twice, just to let him know I see him. And to make sure he sees me. Everybody likes a little attention now and then. HLG |
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| Harvey
L. Gardner is an author, syndicated columnist, and speaker. Tantalizing Trivialities is a mixture
of fun, frivolity, nostalgia, inspiration, humor, love, marriage, tall tales, work, and other
absurdities. He lives in White House, Tennessee. Your comments, suggestions, and inquiries are
welcome. Email: Harvey@HarveyGardner.com © 2004, Harvey L. Gardner |
