The Sixth Chick

On one otherwise unremarkable afternoon, I watched what appeared to be a lone quail pick its way down a hillside, turning first this way, then that, gradually charting a zig-zag course west to east, north to south across the field.

As I was wattching, five chicks came into view following their mother. They too turned from west to east, north to south, replicating her course almost perfectly.

I’m sure there were slight deviations in their paths but I didn’t notice anything dramatic. They were a team — one big one leading the way, five little ones following and, I presume, learning in the progress.

As they gradually snaked their way out of view, something new caught my eye. It was a sixth chick, far behind, lurching wildly from further up the hill. This one didn’t replicate the path of its mother and siblings.

Instead, somewhat out of step, it forged its own rather erratic path as it raced to catch up with the clutch.

That sixth chick, always somewhat out of step. We’ve probably all known one.

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