photo #1902796

Yep. Enjoying the country life again with George. I looked up, and saw old Cletus hobbling and limping with a peanut in his mouth. He sat up, shucked, and broke up that peanut, scattering it to the birds. He then just ambled away again. I asked George what that was all about. He just said "Karma" and chuckled. Then, he told the story. Cletus used to be a big bully to everybody, and figured out he could intimidate everybody/everything to his way by constant harassment. When he was younger, he used to climb up and raid the bird feeders after scaring the birds away. He called himself the "tax collector", and expected that treatment from everybody because he was "all that" and demanded it. He "ruled" ruthlessly for many years, until he just couldn't pull it off any more, and became grounded. Now, even he had to beg for handouts from anybody due to his age. He couldn't even remember why, or how he was in this pickle. Seems that the birds decided to unite against him. Whenever he was seen, one bird called out and the rest showed up. They'd peck him until he ran away. He tried to enlist the other squirrels to help, but they remembered the way he treated them and they refused to forget. Whenever he found a decent nut, he had to share it with the birds. He basically lived on pinecone seeds dropped by younger ones and an occasional treat by some that took pity. I couldn't help but think I was witnessing the future of our nation once we get it right and unite against the tyranny and authoritarianism. Those who perpetrated their strong arm tactics against us will rue the day. Picture THEM living in their self created pits of misery. Yes, that day's coming, albeit slower than we want. Even the Good Book says every seven years there will be a purge. Then again, time can be very fleeting. Oh, the lessons we can learn from nature. Careful observation mixed with a little imagination goes a long way.