Back in Minnesota, more insects seemed to be attracted to my windshield than in Michigan, Illinois, or Wisconsin. Maybe they favor the home-state cars? Just as it got thoroughly dark, I noted a large wet splat. It slid like an exclamation point down the windshield, and at the bottom, a speckley glow of yellow. A lightening bug! A KAMIKAZE lightening bug!
Those of you who know me well realize that I have an odd attraction to tragedy. A consuming concern for roadkill animals, for example. A penchant for predicting "the worst outcome" - whether it comes true or not (it usually doesn't). A dwelling on morbidity. Perhaps this comes from losing a parent at such a young age - if I am able to anticipate tragedy, it won't hurt so badly if it happens.
It so happened today that in the otherwise-idyllic roads of Door County, I ran over a chipmunk. Here's my usual brain process: it was an innocent creature, doing what it is supposed to do, minding it's own chipmunk business - and here come I - wiping out it's chipmunk life with one fell swoop. What of it's family? It's babies? It's mouthful of tender seeds? Then my tears roll out. Crazy, I know - but it's me.
Hope and futility. Futility and hope. I persist in reordering them.
R.I.P.; little ones.
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I share your fascination with roadkill--and I swear 80 percent of the killings could be eliminated with just one thing: Slow down!
ReplyDeleteI'd support a "drive slow" movement to help respect our furry cousins.
I created an artwork last year entitled "Roadkill Rosary"....you'd like it. It won an Honorable Mention at the state art teachers' show...
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