I hit a heron yesterday

[Droopy]

I was cruising down the highway yesterday in my 18 wheeler when a heron flew into my path. It happened so quickly that there was nothing I could do to avoid hitting it. The unfortunate bird got hit by the right front corner of the cab and then bounced into my right mirror bracket where it became stuck. I pulled the truck over to the side of the road and extricated the bird from the mirror bracket. I've never been so thankful for work gloves before now. It was a mess and my boss had the truck washed when I got back to the yard.

I've hit critters before and it never really bothered me all that much. But for some reason hitting that bird really made me sad. I guess it was having to deal with the aftermath.

[BikeWriter]

1. Whoops, I'm sorry you had to deal with it.

[SweetLeftFoot]

2. Woooah

When I first saw the thread title I misread it as "I had a hit of heroin yesterday"

[Droopy]

3. Haha

I've tried a lot of stuff in the past, but you would never catch me messing around with Mr. Brownstone.

[SweetLeftFoot]

10. Yeah

I have been around that block myself and am far happier now I've moved to a new city if you know what I mean ...

[gardenista]

4. Maybe this calls for some kind of ritual to honor the heron

I know that might sound strange, but maybe you could have a quiet moment somewhere in nature, where you read a poem, and meditate on the beauty and spirit of the bird.

Hope that doesn't sound too flakey, but it's probably something I would do, even though it might feel silly. Might also make you feel better.

:hug:

[Droopy]

6. I don't think that's flakey at all

It would probably be good for my karma, too. Thanks for the suggestion.

[Heidi]

5. I love herons . . .

but you didn't hit the bird intentionally, Droopy. It was one of those unfortunate things.

P.S. I've been a little out of the loop this week. Have I missed a Story from the Road? The last one I read was about racism.

[Droopy]

8. There was a story that I wrote about a wreck

I don't think it's one of my better efforts. At least it's not as compelling. But it is a story. Hold on a second and I'll get you a link.

Here you go.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=3520429

[Heidi]

16. Ah, yes . . .

Thanks for the link. I read that one, and liked it. I'm glad I haven't missed one.

[koopie57]

7. One time I hit a mouse

and I squashed half of it and in my rearview mirrow I saw the top half squirming. I turned around to run that half over. It was horrible, but I felt so bad to think of it suffering.

Sometimes that happens though and that is the way it is today.

[Droopy]

11. Oh, man

I hate to see an animal suffer. I saw a buck deer that got hit one time. The collision broke its back so it's hind legs were paraliyzed. But it was trying to run away with it's front legs. There were two cops on the scene and I thought to myself that I wish they would put the deer down.

[koopie57]

18. I was surprised to see a response

I thought you would have been long gone to sleep. But there is something about seeing an animal in pain due to man and our inventions or presence or whatever, that hurts me. I guess it is cuz they must not understand and the trauma to them is so unnatural? I don't know. I guess I have been drinking *blush*, and I should not keep talking, but it is good to feel sadness or pain when removing a dead bird from your truck. What would it be like if you didn't feel that?

Droopy, why did you choose that name?

[Droopy]

20. Droopy used to be a state of mind

When I signed up back in March 2003 the war was just starting up and I was very much against the war. I felt powerless in my desire to not see that war happen. I was also suffering in my personal life from mental illness. Droopy just seemed to fit and it's kind of catchy. I'm sure that you've also heard of the cartoon dog of the same name. I would much prefer that people thought of him when they see my name now. I'm feeling much better although still distraught about the war.

[koopie57]

23. I understand about feeling droopy

as I have suffered from icky stuff too. I'm so glad you are feeling better. And I am familiar with the cartoon character.

why are you up so late?

[Droopy]

25. I work a 5pm-1am eastern time shift most of the time

And I like to end my day by drinking a couple of beers and hanging out with my buddies at DU. I feel kind of talkative when I get home from work and there is nobody here to talk to. So I get on the computer and talk with you all.

[koopie57]

26. so you have many friends here?

that is pretty neat.

on edit: I guess I should get off line cuz my husband is on call. I suspect he won't be called till the a.m. but you never know. You take care. I hope we can chat another time.

[Droopy]

28. I've got a lot of friends here

Some people know me and some people don't, but if you have exchanged words with me there is a 99% chance that it was a friendly exchange. DU means a lot to me and I don't know where I'd be without you all to get me through the night.

[koopie57]

29. I don't have many friends here

but there are many people who I admire. And one person even was so kind as to buy me a gold star. I always try even harder to be nice because of that kindness. I wish I had friends, but I'm sort of too shy to make friends. You take care, night now.

[marzipanni]

31. In the sixties my friend's dad was driving at night on a 2 lane road

through the woods in Maine as her family and I were going to their cabin. Around a bend on the opposite side of the road a large transport truck ,eighteen wheeler, I guess , was pulled over and the driver flagged us down. He asked us to drive slowly ahead through the darkness because he thought a deer had run into his trailer, We found a doe on the road, she must have broken her neck , so she didn't suffer. We all went to where she was, He came over to look at her and I could tell he was so sad. It made me want to give him a hug, but a teenage girl was too shy to try to comfort a burly truck driver. I still appreciate his sensitivity almost forty years later.

[MrSandman]

9. I hit a federally-protected bird in May...

Told the Conservation Officer about it.

He told me at least in WV, I could eat it as "road kill'. Yeah, there is a WV law that says that one MAY EAT ROAD KILL.

[Droopy]

13. I thought about calling somebody

about the bird I hit. But I didn't figure that the bird was rare. I probably should have played it safe though and called somebody to check it out.

[MrSandman]

27. Most they will do here is call DOT...

They MIGHT get the carcass this week. I only saw the CO because I saw him at our kids' soccer practice.

[6000eliot]

12. I've only hit two animals with my car,

but both times I felt guilty for weeks. Is your 18 wheeler a big tractor trailer?

[Droopy]

14. Yes it's a tractor trailer

I'm probably one of the last people that you will see joining PETA, but I try to avoid hitting animals the best that I can. I'm a live and let live kind of guy. But in my line of work you are going to squish some critters from time to time. There's just no way around it.

[6000eliot]

22. Those things are difficult to stop

once you get them started. My times were unavoidable as well. I didn't mean to sound accusatory there.

[Droopy]

24. You're fine

I didn't think that you sounded accusatory.

[CanuckAmok]

15. Well, you know the old saying...

Heron today, gone tomorrow.

Is this thing on?

I know, that was fowl of me.

It all works out, Droopy...it all balances out. The other night I was awakened by my goofy cats palying on the bed. In my drugged-up fog I wasn't sure what was going on, but in a couple of moments I discovered that one of them had gone up to the roofdeck via the stairs in my bedroom, and captured a sparrow.

They brought it to the bed a s present for me, and were playing with/terrorising the poor little thing.

I shooed them away and took the boid up in a wad of paper... it was in shoch, but there was no blood or other sign of massive trauma.

I took the sparrow up to the roof, made a "nest" out of the paper, and let it recuperate in the safety of the shelf in my telescope tripod. Banned the cats from the roof, too.

When I woke up in the morning, I checked and the sparrow had flown the coop! Took the time to leave a little heathy crap on my tripod! Hopefully straight home to tell his friends about his brush with death!

[Droopy]

17. That's a nice story

When you speak of things balancing out I hope you don't mean that I'm going to get squished by a big truck some day. ;)

[CanuckAmok]

19. not by a long shot...

I meant your heron died, but my sparrow lived.

Circle of Life.

Candle in the Wind.

I'm Still Standin'.

The Bitch is Back.

Philadelphia Freedom.

Don't Go Breakin' My Heart (with Kee kee Dee).

[Droopy]

21. Cool

[roguevalley]

30. Things happen. I hit a pug once and it kicked my behind to this

day. Birds are wonderful and the bigger, the more so. Just think good thoughts for its soul. My grandma used to say that God needed a good
____ in heaven. Consider it walking through the ponds of paradise and give yourself a break.