I have read that Monarchs fly south, prinicpally to Mexico during the winter months, and have seen video of hundreds of thousands of them perching in trees and doing whatever comes naturally to butterflies on vacation in Mexico. Sort of a Sturges for Monarchs (with visions of drunk, topless, dope-smoking butterflies cruising through town). The fact that a butterfly can make the journey is nothing less than incredible.

I noticed the butterflies while driving on the interstates in the area. Whether coincidence or favorable air currents, I can't say. But I have seen them fly across and along the concrete ribbons, taking I-77 south just like tourists to Disneyworld. I can't remember if it was Bill Cosby or George Carlin (now there's a divergence of views!), but one of them said that butterflies always fly like they're stoned. I've never seen one fly in a straight line. They're fragile, they're flimsy and could be crushed by a kitten. But they regularly fly thousands of miles every fall and spring, instinctually and unerringly to the same places.

The futility of going to work day after day pales in contrast to the job of the Monarch. They haven't studied the maps or brouchures, haven't seen the Travel Channel special on Cozumel. They're paper-thin with a brain the size of pond algae, but they just keep fluttering around in a generally southern direction until, one day, "Ola! Como esta?" In a world of Cheneys and Rumfelds and the fool-me-once Bush, there is solace in the Monarch's heroic, doggedly-determined quest to follow the sun.
11:15:51 PM    Comments?()