Page 96 - ECOlogic Book

I give up. As I lock the pole barn door, I look sideways across the pond.
The mallards are still there, watching. Do they know? It seems to me they
do. I intellectualize the question. “Do they care?” Does violence toward
mice translate into violence toward ducks? In their minds, does it translate?

Through the window, later in the day, I watch the male mallard lead his
mate from the pond to the bird feeder. They feed happily on blackbird
leftovers for a quarter of an hour. I promise them a trip to the feed store for
corn. I want to make it up to them for the mice.

Since writing this essay, a massive Havaheart Mouse Relocation
program has begun. In fields far away, mice are gathering to plan
their return to my fireplace heatolator.

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