Swan Swamp

Port Hope sits on the shore of Lake Ontario. Because the town is far enough away from Toronto, the water there is actually quite clean. The Boy learned to swim in these waters and ate his first mouthful of sand as an infant on the beach. When I get into town, I like to go down the lake shore and walk the trail.

This weekend, it was windy in the fair town, so much so that after walking about for five minutes, my ears began to hurt. Yet, the temperature was 12 Celsius. I told my mother-in-law I was headed for the trail and going into the swamp to see the swans. She insisted on driving me.

She said, "It's windy. You can walk back from where I drop you off. I'll wait for you at the other end."

I said, "That defeats the purpose of going for walk, doesn't it?"

So we compromised. She dropped me off at the entrance to the swamp and went home. I would walk the trail, then through the town to get home.

In the swamp, I saw the swans. There were three of them. They came in last week and settled there. Having watched Swan Lake last weekend, I tried to imagine a gaggle of them. Real swans could never be as dainty and well-coordinated as the ones on stage. These swans lifted their wings and scratched themselves with their beaks. One of them ruffled his feathers and didn't care. He just swam around looking pleased with himself despite feathers poking up and pointing every which way.

At one point, something in the water must've startled the swans, but not the ducks. All three suddenly took off into the air, flew across the water and landed in the swamp again in a clumsy show of tripping and waddling I've only until now attributed to drunken buzzards.

So I stood there on the trail, with roaring waves from the lake in front of me, jittery swans in the swamp behind me, and behind the swamp, rumbling wheels on the train tracks. It was noisy. Not at all the spiritual healing I've come to expect walking this trail in the fall.

I went home, unhealed. As I walked by the butcher, I bought filet mignon for dinner. I felt raw anyway, might as well indulge in red meat.