"She thought that some fuzzy ducklings would provide happiness and fun" he complained. "Ducklings become ducks and ducks don't just smell bad, they stink", he continued. Then came his forecast that "she will enjoy them 'til the fuzz wears off" and then the responsibility/work/committment will not always be "fun".
While his bewilderment focused on actual ducks, I sensed that he had created a metaphor for much of 'life'. Whether acquired for "fun", diversion, or a perception of 'necessity', eventually the 'new' wears off and 'now what ?'
I still remember the delight that I felt in 2004 when I was handed the keys to a new Toyota Camry, the first new car that I had bought in decades. It gleamed. smelled fresh, and had more 'bells and whistles' than any automobie I had ever owned. (Well, ownership came 3 years later with the final monthly payment.) For many years I drove it a minimum of 350-400 miles in my work. Now that I work from home and seldom drive that car, it sets rather forlornly on the side street ---with its 250,000+ miles, broken mirror, faded luster, crippled CD player, and lots of additional "fuzz" gone. However, having the nearby dealership provide regular service and maintenance, I still get 30 miles per gallon in dependable transportation.
Something akin to that process happens to humans. A young boy's "peach fuzz" gives way either to the near daily ritual of shaving or growing 'facial foliage'. A collector related his pleasure and pride in obtaining a painting by a renown artist. In the first few months, he delighted in having friends visit to admire his acquisition. Soon he was daily walking past it without even turning his head.
"Fuzz" can provide much needed bright spots to the routine, to the ordinary, to the responsibilities of life. Without being cynical (like the man who disparaged the ducklings) maybe there is a balance to be found in having "Ducklings and Ducks".
Satchel
