Nixon or the Kildeer??

Photo by JRCompton.com - click to link to photo

Somewhere recently I heard that, depending on when you grew up, and who was president, you’ll have a different outlook on life.  In the U.S. for example, they said, if you came of a certain age (which I forgot) during the Kennedy administration, you’ll be basically optimistic; if during the Nixon administration, you’ll be suspicious.

Mind you, I’m paraphrasing.

I noted to myself that I am both suspicious and optimistic by nature. Was it really Nixon who planted that suspicious seed?

In any case, I’ve been mulling that around.

On my run today, I got some more insight.

I was running through the town field when a bird flopped in front of me, made a bad attempt at flying, stumbled on right in my path, made another half-winged flight … and then,  flew off effortlessly.

I remembered the field next door to my grandmother’s house in Escalon, California.

One day Edith took me past the walnut trees and into the dusty hummocks.  A Kildeer flew in front of us and scuffled in the dirt, dragging her left wing.  I ran towards her, she flopped off further, more wing dragging — and, again I followed.

“Forget about it,” Edith yelled. “She’s fooling you.”

Kildeer, she told me, build their nests on the ground.  If you come near – by intent or accident, the mother will stumble out, flop in the dust and act like she’s got a broken wing.  In this way, she’ll lead you away from her nest, and when you’re far enough away to be safe, she’ll fly off. Generally laughing out loud.

So who made me suspicious: Nixon or the Kildeer?

I’ll never know.

But I found pictures of a Kildeer faking it, and her nest and a blog by someone else who learned the same thing Edith taught me … but on TV.

So I did learn that Edith was my Discovery Channel.

Or that maybe that blogger’s grandmother was a television.

I’m optimistic about that … though still suspicious.