It was Easter. I was younger then, about three, with no brothers or sister yet. My Grandma and Grandpa came over. They told me, "Lindsay, we have an Easter present for you!" I clapped my hands and laughed and asked what it was. They said come into the backyard and find out. I followed them outside with anticipation and excitement welling in my stomach. "What could they have gotten me?" I wondered. We got outside and went and sat under the pine tree by my little pond. My Grandpa took a brown box that had holes in it out of a paper sack, like the ones groceries come in. This was so exciting. He handed me the box and I took off the lid. Inside was the cutest little thing I had ever seen. I looked up at my Grandma and asked her, "Is it a chicken?" She said, "No sweetie, it’s a little duckling who will grow up to be a beautiful white duck!" "Oh." I answered in wide-eyed awe. I had never had a pet of my own before. I decided to name her Mandy. I don’t know why, I guess it just fit. Mandy grew up some, until she really was a beautiful white duck. I loved her so much. I cried when we clipped her wings. I got really mad at my dog, Corky, when he chased her around the yard. I played with her all the time. We made castles in the yard and I was the princess and she was my royal duck. The neighbors would come and play with us. They loved her too, but not as much as I did. One day I came home from pre-school and I dumped my backpack and finger-paintings on the kitchen table and ran outside to see Mandy. I looked everywhere, but I couldn’t find her. I started to cry. Where could she be? Why would she leave me? Did she not love me anymore? What if she had died? I was in hysterics by the time I went into the house to see if my Mommy knew where Mandy was. My Mommy took me in her lap and comforted me until I got my sobbing under control. She looked at me and told me a story about how she had seen Mandy that morning when she was feeding her, but when she came back out that afternoon, she saw Mandy flying away. She tried to yell her down, but it didn’t work. I didn’t believe her for a second. I knew my duck would never fly away from me. My evil Mommy and Daddy must have done something with her, and wouldn’t tell me. I started crying again. My Mommy tried to comfort me again, but I jumped off her lap and ran to my room. I grabbed my pink blankie and ran outside. I collapsed near Mandy’s and my pond. I sat for hours, or what seemed like hours, hoping desperately that my Mandy would come back for me; but she didn’t. My Mommy came outside and told me that she was sure that Mandy was happy and making all sorts of new duck friends, but I still didn’t believe her. I survived that day, and I now know what really happened to my Mandy. She sure as heck didn’t fly away and leave me alone. We had a little girl/duck bond that could never be broken, and I still smile when I think about my cute little duck swimming in my cute little pond. Now, every time I see a white duck fly overhead, I say to myself, "What if that’s Mandy? I really hope she’s living a happy life."
mandy
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Posted by L.K. McIntosh at Wednesday, October 03, 2007
Labels: Short Stories
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