My daughter has been participating in some magazine subscription thing at her school. As near as I can tell, for every so many subscriptions that they sell, they are given a small rubber duck (and don't ask me what any of this has to do with education). I understand that there are dozens of different styles of ducks with different logos and themes. Anyhoo, my little one has received three ducks of her own. On her way out of school the other day, she found one laying on the ground and picked it up. I guess that she adopted it right there on the spot. Flash forward ahead several hours. Picture a daughter just finishing her homework after an already long day at school. She is starting to lose her focus, her scholastic seriousness. For some reason she decided that her adopted duck should be attached to the top of my head with lots and lots of scotch tape. I play along as any card-carrying daddy would do. We then go about some much needed relaxing. We have a light snack, we watch some T.V., we play on the computer, we go outside and get the mail, we chase each other around the house. Several hours pass.It is starting to get late and I decide that I need to get supper started as there is only about an hour left until my youngling has to start getting ready for bed. I go into the kitchen and start the preparations. About 15 minutes into my task I suddenly sense that there is something on top of my head. I start screaming and dancing around, my eyes wild in panic. I start slapping at the top of my head like a madman. Well, what do you think I found up there? ... That's right, a small rubber duck. My daughter, who was no more than 10 feet away from me and witnessed the whole pathetic scene, looked at me and calmly said "But daddy, it was there all along".
Funny how we can be afflicted with something for a long period of time and only when we realize that a duck is on top of our head do we jump into action and try to nip it, nip it in the bud. Of course, those around us knew of our affliction all along.
