Carrion Luggage (Book)

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Carrion Luggage

Carrion Luggage

Native to the Americas, the turkey vulture (Cathartes aura) travels widely in search of sustenance. While usually foraging alone, it relies on other individuals of its species for companionship and mutual protection. Sometimes misunderstood, sometimes feared, sometimes shunned, it nevertheless performs an important role in the ecosystem.

This scavenger bird is a marvel of efficiency. Rather than expend energy flapping its wings, it instead locates uplifting columns of air, and spirals within them in order to glide to greater heights. This behavior has been mistaken for opportunism, interpreted as if it is circling doomed terrestrial animals destined to be its next meal. In truth, the vulture takes advantage of these thermals to gain the altitude needed glide longer distances, flying not out of necessity, but for the joy of it.

It also avoids the exertion necessary to capture live prey, preferring instead to feast upon that which is already dead. In this behavior, it resembles many humans.

It is not what most of us would consider to be a pretty bird. While its habits are often off-putting, or even disgusting, to members of more fastidious species, the turkey vulture helps to keep the environment from being clogged with detritus. Hence its Latin binomial, which translates to English as "golden purifier."

I rarely know where the winds will take me next, or what I might find there. The journey is the destination.

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10 Most Recent Blog Comments:

🌝 HuntersMoon

about 5 hours ago
In response to "Unhelpful Tips"

@ Brandiwyn🎶Sprinting - I like that idea. Make them fish their tips out of the toilet! Ohhhh. Not THAT bowl.

It's funny. I lived in Germany and remember. Now I reside in Mexico and many parts of the country have a steward that hands you towels, etc. when you've completed your task... and you better not forget to tip! One followed my wife (who was ignorant of the practice) out to our table.

2 Like

Brandiwyn🎶Sprinting

about 5 hours ago
In response to "Unhelpful Tips"

In Germany, it's customary to tip to use a public toilet. (With coins in a bowl, not a tip screen.)

1 Like

🌝 HuntersMoon

about 5 hours ago
In response to "Unhelpful Tips"

Tip creep has become noticeable. It used to be 15% now it's 18% and many places push 20%. At the Club House (where I used to live) they went to 18% included in the bill. You didn't have a choice. WRONG. I just quit eating there.

1 Like

tj says Boris sent me

about 5 hours ago
In response to "Unhelpful Tips"

Only once did I have to dispute a tip. The service was terrible, so we didn't add a tip. But when our waitress took the card to run it, she added a tip almost equivalent to the bill itself. Luckily, my wife reviewed the receipt and discovered the added tip and canceled the payment. We spoke to a manager, made the correct payment, and were told the waitress would be talked to.

3 Like

Annette