Oh, Yeah, Life Goes On....

 

I used to watch live cams of peregrine falcons who nested in weird places in American cities. There was one camera I especially liked that was placed on a building in Waukegan, Illinois. I believe the building was sold and the cam taken down. I never got too interested in the bald eagles but I'm saddened to see Jackie, the partner to Shadow, has died. She was fourteen years old and I'm not sure whether age played a part. It seems Jackie was in a fight with another eagle and veterinarians just couldn't save her. It looks like Shadow has already moved on. 

Men.

There is a new gal in the nest, although it has yet been determined if it's a girl. They believe so and could this be the gal who beat Jackie?

For a man!?

Women.

When I was living in a teeny tiny town where everyone really did know your business, I liked to go to the pizza joint because they had the best onion rings. So one evening I walk in and a young lady is behind the counter as a rather distraught looking man stands at the counter. I step in line and it's not my fault I can hear every word. This man, who looks to be in his late thirties, blue collar and really upset, is talking about his wife who has cancer and not expected to live much longer, according to him. The young employee looked extremely uncomfortable, yet didn't seem to know how to handle the situation. She fries burgers for Pete's sake, she's not a therapist! He's weeping. She's nodding and I should have left, but I wanted those onion rings and I wanted to hear the ending of this story. He doesn't seem to care that I'm standing right behind him, he's on a roll. I know I should have felt sympathy for him as he poured his heart out, but it sort of felt like a performance to me. What's going on here? This girl is probably still in her teens, still in high school and he's laying his life out before her. She was saved by the bell when the phone rang and told him she had to answer it. Before she moved away he said, "Maybe we can have coffee later."

And there it was.

He was looking for a new mate, even before his current partner succumbed to cancer. The only one I felt anything for was his wife. That poor woman who was dying (allegedly) and he's out cruising for a replacement. I'm going to assume there was a wife and she was dying, otherwise, that's a really awful pick up line. I know there are men who go on dating apps and claim they are widowers which would be news to their very alive wives, but I don't know if a person would go this far to get a date or a wife. 

So, for a few more minutes he stood at the counter as she ignored him and took her time on the phone. I coughed and he finally acknowledged my existence. He turned, gave me a scowl and left. 

My onion rings didn't sit right in my tummy that night. I just thought about that dying woman. She deserved better. 

I understand an animal, a bird, lives by extinct. Shadow has moved on. Jackie is no longer here to see her replacement. Why does this break my heart?  

Oh, yeah, life does go on.