The first day I looked at my apartment complex, I saw two large ducks that had called the complex, home. The water fountain and man-made pond were never intended to house them , but nevertheless, these two companions had decided to retire there.

How do I know they retired? They’re the most overweight ducks I’ve ever seen.

A week ago a huge pheasant had made its way from the woods into the street by our complex and was killed. It laid in the road for a couple days before street crews came to remove the body.

The following day I left for work and waiting for me on the street corner, resting in the grass was one of the ducks. I came back for lunch and he was still there. I left for work, came back home and he was still there.

By the second day, the duck remained in that general area and I began to wonder. Where was his wife?

You see ducks are incredibly monogamous. Once they find their mate, they never part ways…ever. So to see this duck without his bride, for the second day in a row, baffled me.

One morning as I got into my car I finally got it. The pheasant I saw in the road just days before wasn’t a pheasant at all. It was the wife of the duck that lived in my pond.

I rounded the corner to head to work and there he was…waiting…in the same place he had been the day before and the day before that.

I wonder if he knew?
I wonder how long he waited?
And I wonder what a duck is to do?

They no doubt had decided to retire to Williamsburg Square because it was a pretty easy going place. They had an entire pond to themselves, shelter from storms underneath a large deck and occasional visitors from throughout the complex.

Now this duck is without the one he was supposed to spend the rest of his life with.

I went to work this morning and you better believe he was by the street corner…waiting.

He has no purpose for this pond anymore.
It’s simply become too big for one…lonely…duck.