Ripple Effect

摘要

The turtle had most likely been drawn from the muddy brown waters to bask in the sunshine and heat of the summer afternoon. While the depths had always proven a safe haven and suitable habitat, the banks of the pond, which rose up sharply and leveledoff several feet above the water, provided a opportune area to simply sit in the sun and do whatever it is that turtles do on a hot summer day. This was a snapping turtle of the genus Chelydra and its size and appearance reflected more than a few years spent scrapping out an existence in this New Jersey woodland pond. Small though it was, the pool of watet and the stream that slowly fed it were a magnet for a wide variety of life from birds and ducks, deer, and raccoons. Many were drawn to the old turtle's haunt including, on this particular day, two young boys. Regular visitors to the pond, the boys were drawn to the area by a sense of adventure and the desire to discover the secrets of the "woods." They spent their free time climbing trees, fishing the pond, and relishing their suburban wilderness. The turtle had probably observed the two many times from the safety of the algae-covered pool, but on this day, as the animal dozed in the sun and the boys stalked along the banks, the three would meet on common ground.