GIMPY – C 2012 JoJo
JoJo, darling, what would you like for your birthday?” Mum asked. My answer was always the same. “A new pet.”
I had quite a menagerie going. Two dogs, two cats, two pigeons, two rabbits, two monkeys, and two canaries. So that was the year when I was given two ducks – Sir Francis and Lady Drake.
They roamed our garden freely, and Lady Drake produced a brood of ducklings. Well, one of them wasn’t quite right – he couldn’t stand up on his own two legs, and tended to flop back onto his bum. I’d prop him back up on his legs, but he’d lose his balance and end up back on his Keister. I named him GIMPY and he became my favourite.
When Lady Drake and her brood of ducklings made a beeline for the pond in our garden, poor Gimpy couldn’t keep up. I’d pick him up, carry him over and drop him down into the water, where he’d paddle furiously. But once again, physical coordination wasn’t programmed into Gimpy’s brain and he’d end up paddling in circles, flapping his tiny wings, obviously in great distress. Inevitably, I’d have to fish him back out of the water, and cuddle him, assuring him he’d be just fine – it was just a matter of time.
I really believed that if I loved him enough and tended to his needs lovingly, I could save him. It broke my heart to find out that I couldn’t. Each day, Gimpy became weaker and he stopped eating, having lost all interest in living.
Holding him cupped in my hands I’d beg “Please Gimpy, please try.” One day, as I cuddled him, his little head flopped over and I knew he was dead.
I was heartbroken.
We buried him in our garden, and I fashioned a cross from two popsicle sticks bound together, with GIMPY inked on it with his date of birth and death, followed by R.I.P.
As for my original pair of ducks, Sir Francis was a persistent and ardent suitor who was always jumping poor Lady Drake. He never gave her any peace, and one day she obviously decided the hell with this, took off and flew into the great blue yonder, never to be seen again.
This ended my duck saga, but I have never forgotten my sweet Gimpy.
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Poor Gimpy….look forward to your writings JoJo
Thanks so much msscooter – I’m delighted you enjoy my writing. It motivates me to keep writing!
Alas, poor thing, lovely tale.
Thanks a lot lawrence – funny how one little defective duck had such an impact on my life that all these many years later, I would remember him and write his story.
I really appreciate your comment.
oh what a lovely but sad story jo jo. I loved reading it even tho’ it brought tears to my eyes 🙂
Thanks so much for your comment Pollie. Yes, it was a sad story, but there was something really special about Gimpy that won our hearts and he made an impact on our lives.
Poor little Gimpy, pets do have such an impact on our lives jojo, glad you had so many xxxx
You’re so right skip – pets do have a huge impact on our lives. They become a part of our family, and enrich our lives immeasurably.
Thanks so much for your comment.
Thank you for sharing such a sweet little story about Gimpy. It touched my heart <3
I’m so glad you enjoyed hearing about Gimpy – just a wee duckling who was born defective, and yet I loved him dearly and have never forgotten him.
I really appreciate your comment. Thanks.
Jo loved your story about your little duck Gimpy and sorry you lost him. Thanks for sharing this story.
Thanks so much for your comment Marie – I really appreciate it. What touched me so much about Gimpy was how hard the little fellow tried to overcome his disabilities, but in the end, he realized he couldn’t and gave up.
What a charming little tale emanating from the part of JoJo that never grew up and thank goodness for that don’t you think?
Thanks oldbull – on the premise that you’re only as old as you feel, I’m still that same little girl who loved and cherished a handicapped duckling, always believing that he could be saved. If a Gimpy came my way today, I’d do the exact same thing.
Lovely story jojo, though very sad, but gimpy was lucky to have you to love and care for him xoxox
Thanks so much for your lovely comments foreveryoung – I really appreciate them. Gimpy crossed my path only briefly, but left behind a memory of how sweet, loving and brave the little fellow was – he really tried to like his siblings, and when he realized he couldn’t, it broke his heart. I loved him.