We had a mother duck outside our window. She carefully laid her eggs one by one each day for several days. After she laid the last one, she carefully protected and nurtured them as only a mother duck could. She lay with them and kept them warm on the coldest nights, even when she was weary.

In the span of less than thirty minutes, the sickest predator of them all destroyed the nest.

I'm not sure if it was with malice or forethought that the sickest predator of them all operated, but the results are plain; each one of the mother duck's eggs was tossed into the pond. They sit there, motionless, as a stark reminder of the actions of thesickest predator of all. One of the eggs was even broken in half.

I wonder how the parents of the sickest predator would have reacted had their young been carelessly thrown into the pond. I wonder if they would have woken from whatever was so damn important in their lives to notice their young being tossed, one by one, into the pond. I know how they didn't react when the sickest predator of them all threw someone elses young into the pond. I know that because of the actions of the sickest predator of them all, a mommy duck has no young to care for. I know that because of the in-action of the parents of the sickest predator of them all, a mommy duck lost a generation of her young. Sure, the parents will make excuses, saying that it's impossible to keep track of their young at all times, but that's just bullshit. Being a parent means being responsible for your kids, and watching out for their well-being at all times, no matter how inconvenient or onerous a task it may be. Had those little ducklings hatched, the mother would have kept them close to her, and would have ensured none of them strayed. Mother nature can be cruel, but she watches out for her own with rutheless discipline. Anything less can be deadly.

I know JoDee is saddend and angered because of the careless actions of the sickest predator of them all. She was watching out for those young ducklings as though they were her own. She fretted for their safety. She knew something was wrong when she saw the sickest predator of them all playing next to the mommy duck's nest. This morning, her worst fears were realized. A part of her died this morning; the part that had compassion for the sickest predator of them all. Now she is angry, and mistrusts the sickest predator of them all. I kept telling her they were just kids, and they had some decency in them to leave well-enough alone, but the sickest predator of all made me a liar. I don't know if they knew what the did was wrong, but it's too late.

Killed by the sickest predator of them all.