In my university , there
are a lot of ducks. The ducks come in various species and types, size and
colour. The University Park Lakeside is the habitat for several types of geese
and a number of swans. Swans here are so
majestic and beloved that they are protected by the Crown- the freaking Queen
herself. These water fowls are always
there in large numbers, be it summer , winter, spring or fall. I had spent so
much time watching ducks that I decided to write about them. It seems that I am
so obsessed with the ducks, that I spent more time watching ducks than studying.
Them ducks are friendly
creatures; especially if you have bread in your hands. If I am with those ducks in Malaysia, they
would be safe in the warmth of ovens and hot soup, but people here does not
seem to eat them. I watched those ducks with an eager feeling to catch one and
roast it at home, but all to no avail.
My friend told me that the ducks are
creatures with a defunct digestion
system. I was told that they do not absorb whatever they eat, instead they
process it all into loads of duck shit. It is a mystery that they are able to
live healthily in large numbers, as their source of nutrients are presently
unknown. I figured that Nottingham ducks have evolved into beings able to
absorb nutrients from the sunlight, or turn molecules in the air into glucose
through alchemy. Being a student of Economics with no knowledge in animal
sciences whatsoever, this is the most reasonable conclusion that I could come up with.
As a result , those ducks produce a lot of
waste, so much that the whole place is covered with it. The university is a
place with wide, green fields, and imagine myself as an excited foreigner who
tried to frolic with the green grass in September last year. I found myself
covered in duck shit.
The ducks have betrayed my
expectations about studying overseas. I mean, how could they? I started to
resent the ducks ever since, as they refuse to respect my wishes and dreams. I
found out soon after the 'rolling in shit' accident that there is no grass in
this place that is safe to step on. I digress that, perhaps, this was the
original reason that some people forbid others from stepping on the grass. It is also the reason that the local people
never sat on the grass , as opposed to us foreigners.
I will not write about ducks
if they did not literally shit all over the place. It is a shame that while the
place is so beautiful , one cannot even feel peace and safe while walking around. The
ducks are indeed abominations that deserve being roasted or fried alive.
But then spring came. I wish you were here so that you can witness
yourself how beautiful the fields are right now. Pink cherry blossoms crowned
the sakura trees white. Yellow and orange daffodils bloom in large spots under
the trees. The changing of seasons made me feel as if I was sent to another
kingdom of fairy tale proportions. Trees began to sprout new leaves after two
seasons of cold and decay. I saw that all the layers over layers of duck shit
were made in preparation for this; sakura trees out of Japan and flowers all over the field. It made me
feel grateful that I broke my leg, since I had the chance to watch the seasons
change longer than anybody else does; because I hop around so slowly.
I started to thank the ducks and
appreciate their beauty, since their heaps of shit turned into a sight so
beautiful, I wish I can draw them here. Isn't it wonderful that something so
dirty and disgusting to my eyes turned
into majestic sakura trees, and brightly coloured flowers?
[94:6] Surely there is ease after hardship.
[94:7] Aye, surely there is ease after hardship.
I learned from the ducks then that bad things happen in preparation of
something good; something of heavenly proportions. It made me believe that after all the tragedy and bad news happening
in our country , there would be something bright at the end of the road.
Something happy and not depressing in particular. I also made myself promise, that
should I ever cook a duck, I would cook them with love and passion.
