By Charles Towne
I lie here among a collection of what some would call nothing more than a curiosity, just one oddity among many. What am I?
I am quite plain, but even in my present form, I am deadly.
What am I?
I am a reminder of what may be hiding, lurking, awaiting the incautious move of the careless.
What am I?
I am bone white, a tad more than eight inches in length, needle-sharp on one end, and wickedly barbed on two of my edges.
What am I?
My original owner was about seven feet long and a smidgeon more than four feet wide.
What am I?
And oh yes, and when people see me, they often describe my movements almost as if I were flying through my environment.
What am I?
In case you haven’t guessed, what I have described is what killed Steve Irwin, our friend from down under. While swimming in the ocean, Steve swam over a stingray, and obviously, the ray, feeling threatened, struck out, and misfortune would have it, speared Irwin in the heart, killing him instantly and depriving the world of a fine man and a great entertainer.
I will never forget one of my own stingray encounters, which, as good fortune would have it, ended quite differently than Steve Irwin’s; otherwise, yours truly wouldn’t be writing this brief tale.
I have always enjoyed wading in the shallow waters around the mangroves in the Keys, especially at night when many of the fish and other finny denizens move into the shallows to catch an easy meal. I was wading in ankle-deep water at the edge of the mangroves. It was at low tide, and I made my way by the light of my flashlight.
There was the occasional horseshoe crab and quite a few blue crabs scavenging for whatever tasty and juicy little tidbits they might find. The water was warm, and I relaxed as I wandered. The only thing I had any reason to be concerned about was the occasional spiny sea urchin, which, if stepped on, could cause quite a bit of discomfort, but just then, I noticed something that piqued my curiosity.
In front of me, about two feet to my side, I noticed a little puff of sand. Something must be hiding there. I took another step, and then, to make things a tad stranger, I noticed another little puff of sand at the other side of my path. Those little puffs were about four or four and a half feet apart.
I was preparing to take another step. Those pumps of sand were right in front of me, no more than two or three feet away. I was wondering what could be causing this phenomenon.
I scanned with my flashlight from side to side, and then it struck me, and I stopped, and it was a good thing I did.
I was walking over the top of a large stingray!
Those puffs of sand were the disturbance its fins made as it swam slowly along in front of me. I was in very great danger at that point, danger of a lot of pain, and perhaps worse. Another step, and I would have put a foot right on that stingray. Much to my distress and discomfort, it certainly would’ve been a cause to visit the hospital and many days recovering from such a wound.
As I think about it, I wonder how many times we have been in great danger, perhaps even death, and inadvertently avoided it, not by our cleverness but by providence, intervention, and the love of a merciful God.
About the Author
Charles Towne shares that, first and foremost, he is a Christian but also an octogenarian, local Apopka author, journalist, wildlife photographer, naturalist, caregiver, and survivor. His life has been, and continues to be, a never-ending adventure filled with possibilities never imagined. He has adopted the philosophy that living fully, laughing uproariously, loving passionately, and learning like there is no tomorrow is a formula for a long and joy-filled life.
