It's Just Ducky

"Are we there yet!"

"Not much further, Cynthia." Sidney said impatiently.

"But, I'm tired, I'm hungry, I've gotta&;#8230;&;#8230;..

"CYNTHIA!" Sidney sounded off once again, stopping her before she could
embarass the group any more.

"Well, Cynthia is right. We should have been in Charlotte by now! We
left Beckley, West Virginia five hours ago! Jack squawked back .

"Yeah, and we only stopped once to&;#8230;"

"CYNTHIA! OK,OK, we'll stop again for you to go to the roadside rest.
Perhaps there may be food close by. Sometimes the hand-outs are very
tasty," Sidney added.

"Ooooh yes, especially the cheesy potato chips," Cynthia added.

The three friends had been traveling for days.

They were the best of friends and spent every minute of the day
together. They believed that friends needed to love and protect each
other. But, sometimes even the best of friends have a dispute over the
silliest things.

"Look! There's the rest stop now!" Sidney shouted.
"And, not a moment too soon either." Cynthia shot them a cute little
grin. Jack led them over to the corner of the rest stop and Sidney over
heard Cynthia Snap, "You boys go over there, can't you give a girl some
privacy!"

"Oh, I'm sorry Jack replied. I didn't see you there Cynthia, you were
standing on my blind side." One lone tear rolled from Jack's eye.
Cynthia dropped her head in shame. "No, I'm sorry Jack. I wasn't trying
to make fun of you. Can you forgive me?

"Awwww that's okay, Jack quacked in his sweetest tone.

"Jack, you know I would NEVER make fun of you! I am so sorry that you
were shot by a "b-b gun" and you only have one eye" Cynthia said
hanging her head. "Those kids were mean!"

"I know that Cynthia, now off with you. You are the cute one so get to
work! Sidney and I are hungry!" Jack quacked.

Cynthia knew what Jack meant. She had a cute little walk and a snappy
little squawk. With that combination there would be more food then they
could eat! Cynthia saw her first meal ticket, a cute little curly
headed boy. Wow! was he a cute little human. Cynthia took a few steps
and stopped. She never knew how they would be treated by the big
humans. The little boy grinned and held his hand out to her. She was
very hungry but knew that she must me gentle with the little boy.
Cautiously, she took a step closer, then another and another.

"Jamey, be careful now. Ducks can be mean sometimes" his mom warned.
"Just drop it on the ground."

"But mom, she's so adorable. She won't hurt me."

"Sweetie, you can't be too careful around wild animals. They may look
cute and harmless but sometimes they aren't. Please, listen to mommy
and don't take any chances."

Jamey was a good boy and always listened to his mommy.

Little Jamey threw a cheese doodle as far as he could. The wind caught
it in mid-air and off it went!

Cynthia flew up and caught it in her beak before it had the chance to
hit the ground.

Jamey threw another and another. Each time Cynthia would fly up into
the air to retrieve it.

"Whew, this is hard work today" Cynthia thought. She had a feeling that
something had to change quickly. Cynthia could tell by the way Jamey
was laughing so loudly that this was the way she would to continue to
have her evening meal.

Sidney and Jack had been hiding in the bushes and decided it was time
to make their appearance.

Before her little ducky feet touched the ground Jamey giggled and threw
two more doodles as high as he could. This was the perfect opportunity
that Jack and Sidney had been waiting for. From out of the bushes they
flew.

"Mommy, did you see that!" Jamey shouted.

"Aren't they just precious. "Jamey, may I have some to feed them
too?"

"Gee, sure mom this is so much fun!"

Between Jamey and his mom being so generous there was more food than
they had eaten in the last three days.

"Cynthia, you are the best friend a duck ever had. You find the nicest
people. If it wasn't for you we would starve!" Jack quacked with
joy.

"Right on sister, Sidney joined in."

"You guys are pretty special friends too. You know we always did say
that friends should share." Cynthia said in a loving voice.

More and more cheese doodles filled the air.

Oh, what fun for everyone! Just when the three little ducks thought
that life could get no better&;#8230;the bag of cheese doodles were
empty.

Jamey reached in the bag and his little hand came out with nothing but
crumbs.He took one step towards Jack and offered the last few pieces.
Jack gently pecked up the offerings and wagged his tail in
appreciation.

The ducks stood looking at Jamey and his mom. Jamey and his mom stood
looking back. They all were just in a group looking at each other! A
new circle of friends had developed.

"Mom, what are we going to do now? There's no more doodles and I don't
want them to leave." Jamey whined.

"I'll think of something, but I better hurry they won't stay around
without food. I know! I have just the thing. You talk to them and keep
them interested." She shouted as she hurried towards the car.

"Okay ducks, you heard mommy. You stay right here." Jamey wondered what
he was supposed to say to a group of ducks. He was only five and never
had ducks for pals before.

"Ducks, do you like us? If you do maybe you should just follow us home.
We live just down the road and have a very nice farm."

"Sidney&;#8230;Jack&;#8230;did you hear that! We can have a home!
That's what we have always dreamed of!" Cynthia quacked
excitedly.

"YES,YES !" Sidney and Jack agreed at the same time.

"What did you say to those ducks Jamey? I heard them squawking all the
way to the car."

"Gosh momma, I was just telling them about our farm and they seemed to
listen"

"Here you sweet critters, see if you like this?" the mother said.

Cynthia could hardly believe her eyes&;#8230;cheese potato chips!
Their favorite people food.

Jamey could see how happy the little duck was.

"Thanks mom you're the greatest!"

"I love feeding them too Jamey and I love making you happy." A saddened
Jamey called out, "Ducks, thank-you for a nice time. Please remember
what I told you. Make it real soon! I will miss you. I really wish you
would."

The ducks watched as Jamey's mom picked him up and kissed him
gently.They watched as the humans grew smaller and smaller as they
approached the car.The sound of the horn beeped as Jamey and his mom
drove by the three little ducks.

"Bye ducks, Jamey shouted out."

"Jamey, are you crying?"

"Just a little mommy, I wish they would live at our pond."

"Honey, they are wild creatures and they know how to
survive&;#8230;don't worry they will find a place to stay. They will
choose an home and be happy."

"All right mommy but I still wish&;#8230;" his sentence trailed off
as he fell off to sleep on the car seat.

The ride home wasn't far from the park. Jamey lay sleeping on the front
seat with his head resting in his mothers' lap. The road turned and
twisted through the pine trees and the smell of honeysuckle filtered in
the windows. She thought for a minute she heard ducks overhead.

"Ducks in the pine trees&;#8230;now that's plain silly" she chuckled
to herself.

Half way up the gravel driveway she thought she heard the quacking of
ducks again. Just then she heard a huge splash on the pond!

"Jamey! Wake up! LOOK!"

"Mom! You brought the ducks home for me."

"I didn't bring them Jamey&;#8230;your wishes did!"

"My wishes really did come true, just like you always told me they
could."

Her heart melted as she looked at the twinkle in her little son's eyes.
Quickly the quiet moment passed as the ducks noisily settled into their
new home. Jamey and his mom could tell the ducks were going to be happy
here.

"Hey Sidney, hey Cynthia, what do you think of our new home? Jack
shouted.

"Well personally, Cynthia quacked, "I think IT'S JUST DUCKY!"