Water off a duck’s back.  Now that is quite a saying, isn’t it?  And just what does it mean?

Welllllll……. if criticisms or slanderous statements are like water off a duck’s back to someone….  it suggests that they aren’t affected by it in the slightest.

Although the duck spends a lot of time in water, the water never stays on its feathers for long. This is because its feathers are coated with oil (from the preen gland)  and this prevents the water from being absorbed. As a result, when the bird steps out of the water, it is able to shake it off within a matter of a few seconds.  Shake it off.

Water rolls off a duck’s back without effect.

Not all waterfowl have this ability.  For instance, the Double-Crested Cormorant.    The cormorant doesn’t have well-developed oil glands and isn’t waterproofed very well.  So it can get wet…. and sink a bit.  It often dries its feathers by perching on a pole or tree limb and stretching its wings out.  Like the Karate Kid.

Well dang it.  I don’t have well-developed oil glands.    I AM the Double-Crested Cormorant.  Yes, my fluffy feathers soak up every little last bit of criticism, condemnation, denunciation, disapproval, disparagement and disdain.

Today while walking home from breakfast, we decided to make a quick stop at an Antique Store.  We have been passing this place for nearly 5 years now…. and we keep saying… “One day, we are going to ring the service bell, go in, and have a look around.”

You see… there is a sign in the window (which changes from time to time).  But the gist of the message is always the same… “Don’t knock on this door, don’t bother me, don’t EVEN think about coming in… unless you are a “Serious Buyer.”

To which I always say… “Well, how the heck would you know unless you go on in and have a teeny-weeny look-see around?”

So today, we saw the shop owner standing right inside the door.  We figured this would be a great time to stop.  Mary wrapped lightly on the door.  The “gentleman” flings the door open and looks at us with a furrowed brow.  “What do you want?” he says.

Dear Mary, responds, “We are interested in coming in an looking around.”  To which “The Gentleman”…. no strike that.  Let’s just call him a Son of a Beach from here on out.  So Mr. SOB then roars… literally roars…. “Can you NOT read the sign on the door?”

Mary and I look at one another….. then back at the sign… then back to Mr. Grumpy Pants.  “It CLEARLY SAYS that ONLY SERIOUS BUYERS should RING the BELL.  RING the BELL.”

The abuse continued for several more minutes…. before we walked away.  He was the angriest, rudest, and haughtiest person I have ever come across in my life.

I managed to hold my tongue.  Mary alerted him to the fact that he was behaving rudely.  She also let him know a few other things.   And as we walked down the street, she said she wasn’t going to give him another thought… not another minute of her thinking or her day.

Mary is a DUCK.  I am a Cormorant.

I wish my preen gland worked.  But no.  I let all those soggy remarks weight me down, soak my wings, dampen my fluffy feathers.

I let that creepy guy permeate my exterior.   And I don’t feel better unless I can stand on some pole somewhere… in the sun….. and spread my wings to let them dry.

That appears to be what I am doing now.  Spreading my wings with my friends… who are JUST like the warm sunshine…. and drying off a bit… so that I can go swimming… once again.

“Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future.”
– Paul Boese