I spent yesterday on the beach. You see, Mr Woog's friend Johnny has some knee boards and they spent hours dragging the kids around the bay while I sat and read the paper. The hills in front of me were alight with flames.
The whole scene was about as Australian as you get.
I watched with interest as two men on jet skis approach the boat and have a little chat with Mr Woog. Turns out that those fellas were policemen and they threw the book at Mr Woog because Johnny was not wearing a life vest!
It seems the long arm of the law shall catch up with you wherever you may go. I asked Mr Woog if they knew Constable Paul. Maybe they shared an office or something?
Apparently that was not funny....
I was the keeper of the cordial and hander outer-er of snacks for the day as kids would come to me for sustenance and hydration options. If I opened a packet of anything, they would hear it and swarm over me like tiny, angry bees.
Then they would retreat back to the water to recommence kicking sand in each others faces or take their turn at being dragged around the bay on their knees. I would be left in relative peace for a while to observe the goings on, having a swim and occasionally taking a little walk along the shore.
It was on this walk that I noticed a couple of seagulls. I have never really been a fan of seagulls, mainly due to their propensity to shit on me and their greediness and snatchiness. But I have softened somewhat now, because of my observation.
My sister Mrs Ryan is full of useless facts that she likes to share at random moments, making any time spent with her both dull and interesting. She recently told me that baby seagulls had black legs and it was not until they matured that they turned red.
Did you know that?
Anyway, there was a red legged seagull walking around while 2 of it's kids (with black legs) followed, literally screeching at her.
The Mum Seagull was racing around trying to find food for her chicks. When a morsel was located, it was snatched off her with no sign of gratitude.
I watched the goings on and that is when I felt the shift in attitude towards seagulls. The mother bird looked at me and for a moment, that very moment, we connected.
One mother and another, being constantly hassled by offspring.
Then she flew off, leaving her miserable brats to run along the beach after her, screeching as they went.
Assholes.
