Taking More Than You Need May Be The Death of You

These days I am usually driving a hybrid car.  I really love the gas mileage, but am a little disturbed at the stealth-like quietness of the engine. Today I had a disturbing event happen as I was driving through my neighborhood.

I was on my way home from lunch with a friend, enjoying the perfect spring sunshine, car windows open, when a large black bird, probably a crow, flew directly across my path.  Certainly this bird did not realize that my silent black car was something that could end his life.   The low flying bird was eye level with my windshield and as I approached at the 25 mile per hour speed allowed on my street I could see a huge rodent hanging from the beak of the bird.  The mole or rat was at least half the size of the bird.

Being a rat phobic ever since the movie Willard, I screamed loudly certain that I was going to smash both of them and the crow, turned and looked me directly in the eye as he struggled to fly above the car.  I looked up through my glass roof just as they passed over and could see the rodent thing squiggle as the crow flapped its wings hard.  I know the bird barley averted death because as it passed over me I stopped and looked in the rearview mirror just in time to see the black creature sink down a few feet behind me, without letting go of the rodent, but landing on the road.

That bird was determined to hold on to that food it had found even if it was going to kill him to do it.  I did not get out of the car to see if everyone was all right because I quite frankly was afraid the bird might decide to take me to task for almost hitting him and possibly making him lose his dinner.

As I drove away it occurred to me that the rodent that crow had caught was probably more food than he and his entire family needed but he was willing to risk his life to keep it.  The bird reminds me of people you see at the Golden Corral buffet.  Certainly very few people should eat all they can, but once they are given the option they want to get their money’s worth, whether they should or not.  Sure hunting is nothing like saddling up to dessert bar but the principle is the same.  Taking more than you need may kill you.

Next time I am faced with an unlimited amount of food I am going to remember almost being the grim reaper for that crow who thought it was more important to hold on to the rat than ensure he lives another day.  I wonder if the crow learned that lesson and let the rat go before trying to fly off again?