Ducks
In the depths of downtown Chicago, the most exotic animal my 10-year-old eyes could spy was the monarch butterfly. In a childhood dominated by skyscrapers and brick, even the most common creatures were an adventurous discovery. I dug up earthworms and tried to count the number of segments or tell the head from the tail. I caught fireflies and kept them in washed out peanut butter jars scattered with grass and twigs. I learned that their small lives were fragile. The next summer I released them after keeping them only for a night. During school breaks, I would take the mile long trek through the open gates of Lincoln Park Zoo. I explored everything. I took in the sights of rhinos, sea lions, tigers, and cows. Somehow, they never did seem the way that I imagined. Animal Planet and picture books just made them seem more regal, more enchanting… just more wild.
