Yorrick…
This little series of snaps comes from a trip we made into town a couple of days ago… I had picked up Dash from his tiny one-teacher school, and was flying in to pick up Mr Incredible and Violet who were waiting in the main street of our nearest ‘real’ town for us. Despite being in a bit of a hurry, I stopped the Prado suddenly
when I spotted this guy in the middle of the road…
It looked suspiciously like a ‘joe blake’…
but it wasn’t.
For one thing, it was a whole lot slower….
I suspect he was pretty ancient,
he had a bit of a hobble and his feet were pretty gnarly…
We shall call him Yorrick…
The turtle was making mighty tough work of the epic journey from one side of the bitumen road to the other. Actually I think he was having a bit of a nap here – despite encouragement to MOVE from a certain concerned onlooker…
C’mon mate!
Uh oh!
We can hear a truck coming down the hill…
Mum tries to pick up our new friend Yorrick
To take him to safety…
but that truck is getting awfully close.
She grabs Dash instead and heads to the right side of the road,
hoping the turtle is far enough across on the grass verge
to avoid a terrible collision of shell and rubber.
The truck driver rounds the sharp bend
(behind the camera position)
and veers wide upon seeing the Prado and disembarked passengers.
He waves as he zooms by,
oblivious to the small creature huddled at the side of the road.
Two sets of brown eyes widen as they see the blur of tyres fly by.
Something spins out behind the departing truck…
Alas, poor Yorrick…
(I knew him not well, but still…)
13 Comments
Kate
Oh sad!!!! He was killed? Poor thing. Poor Dash! Did he handle it okay? He is so sweet and kind to animals. I’ve never seen a turtle with that long of a neck before, what kind is it? Too bad there wasn’t time to pick him up. I need to go look at puppy pics now to make me smile 🙂
Debby
‘Alas poor Yorrick’ is right, but you can’t really say that you knew him well.
rhubarbwhine
No! Tell me that didn’t happen?
Jayne
Ohhhhhhhhhh…..
jrosey
Oh no! That’s a sad, sad post! I was really starting to like Yorrick! Aw man! That darn guy!
Bush Babe
Alas… poor Yorrick did get side-swiped. Dash raced over as soon as the truck had passed to inspect and he kinda looked OK so we moved him off further into the grass. But we checked again on the way home a couple of hours later and he hadn’t moved. Not sure if the shock killed him, old age finally caught up or there was an injury we couldn’t see.
Another of life’s little lessons for Dash.
🙁
BB
Bush Babe
And no Deb… I cannot say I knew him well. 2.3 minutes is not exactly a long-term relationship!!! But he was cute old thing, and I do have a soft spot for turtles…
🙂
BB
traceelements
Awwwww…
traceelements
Awww.
Reddirt Woman
And he looked like a Yorrick, too…
Helen
Lydia
Awww… one of life’s important lessons.
Woman in a Window
OHMYGOD, I can’t believe you just did that to me! Ugh. Man. poor yorrick.
Autumn Fullmer
I also have a soft spot for any little animal, shelled or not, and I have to say I’m glad I wasn’t there. You see, I tend to cry when things die… regardless of how stupid I know I’m being. I hope you didn’t have my same reaction.
Poor Yorrick indeed.
May His old soul rest in peace now.