M I S H A P S

tj|tl|in|ca|st

M I S H A P S
tj|tl|in|ca|st

While driving through Adirondack State Park on my way to Lake Placid, NY, I hit a Monarch butterfly. I'm not sure how long it's been stick on my windshield wiper but I notice the wind is battering the poor little critter. I feel sorry for it. Since I'm not in any hurry I pull over and attempt a rescue.

I carefully pull it from the wiper then lay it out on the hood of the van. It isn't moving. I poke its antennae and I get a little movement. That's a good sign, I haven't killed it after all. But how badly is it injured I wonder. After about a minute or two the butterfly magically comes back to life. I suppose if I were flying along, minding my own business, then BAM! I'm hit by a 60 mph 2.5-ton object, it'd take me a while to come around too.

After a little coaxing I get it to walk around on my hand, a physical therapy of sorts. After a while of that, it seems well enough to be released so I place it on some vegetation by the side of the road. Lord knows what happened to it after that. I hope it makes it. Had I been in a rush and not taken the time to try to help it, it certainly wouldn't have survived. Sometimes it's nice not to be in a hurry. You can take time to smell the roses, or in this case, save a beautiful butterfly.