Bands.....
I decided that, in my declining years, my waterfowl bands needed a more honorable string than a braided piece of nylon cord. Ordered myself one of those swanky hand plaited leather lanyards from a young fella here in Michigan. Sat down this morning to start swapping them over, only to realize I've finally got more than one lanyard will hold. Had to get ahold of the fella and order a single drop for the goose sized ones.
I had a profound thought while I was working the pliers, profound at least for an old uneducated duck hunter like me.
"Waterfowl bands are a funny thing. They're just little pieces of metal, but they mean so much to a fowler. That particular jingle they make when you put your lanyard on is music that will turn away the darkest of moods. But even beyond that, they are literally an abacus by which we can count the very best days of our whole lives."
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I was as virtuously given as a gentleman need to be; virtuous enough; swore little; diced not above seven times a week; went to a bawdy-house once in a quarter--of an hour; paid money that I borrowed, three of four times; lived well and in good compass: and now I live out of all order, out of all compass. Falstaff - Henry IV
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