“Quack, Quack, I Want Skippy”

Do you remember when we would see a dog in a store or a restaurant and know immediately that the person it was accompanying was blind? Along side of the well trained harnessed canine would walk the person – usually with dark glasses and shifting a white cane back and forth in front of them.

Times have changed. I was in Safeway a few weeks ago. I had some business to do at the customer service desk and was idly waiting my turn. I watched as people checked out and headed towards the door, passing closely by me. I wasn’t paying intense attention to anyone until….a small, yellow bobbing head with a big orange beak caught my eye. It was nestled very comfortably it seemed against a woman’s chest. I must have been starring (come on…you would too). She smiled and said, “Would you like to meet my support duck, Millie?”

“I sure would,” I said. “I’ve never met a support duck before.” In all honesty, I was having some difficulty processing this.

“Millie goes with me everywhere I go,” the woman said as she stroked the duck’s head with a finger. “See, I have this sling here,” she says and lifts up an edge of the long scarf draped around her neck, “that Millie rides in.” Inconspicuously, I tried to see if Millie had a diaper on, but the sling made it impossible to tell. Millie was hunkered down like she would be if sitting on a nest. I wasn’t sure how the lady felt about it, but considering I was shopping in a grocery store, I was voting for a diaper. As I finished my business at the counter and was walking out, my thoughts returned to the strange encounter. I wondered what kind of support can a duck give? Maybe they have a real sense of what is better – Jif or Skippy. She probably likes to pick out her own lettuce – I’ve heard ducks won’t eat wilted greens. Oh, and I think they are quite the connoisseurs of fine breads.

Ok, so I’ve poked a bit of fun and giggled about this unusual experience but I really think it’s quite sad. Sad to think there are people so yearning for something that they can’t seem to find, that they will try to find the answer in just about anything, including a 24/7 duck hanging around their neck.

I wish I would have had the opportunity to tell her about the One that goes with me wherever I go. The one who never leaves us or forsakes us. (Joshua 1:5) The one who is always available and bends His ear to hear us. (Psalm 116:2) Maybe God will provide another opportunity to run into Millie and her kind master. I won’t be so flabbergasted and will have a story to tell.

Keep on readin’ and I’ll keep on writin’.