A co-worker came up to me today and said, "My pond was raided over the weekend and almost destroyed."

I aksed, "Was it a raccoon?"

He said, "No it was a bunch of little boys! They pulled up and destroyed the plants in and around the pond, threw the rocks all over, caught two big koi and put them in the creek out back and just made a terrible mess. Luckily they didn't ruin the new UV light or pump."

He proceeded to tell me that he caught them in the act and recognized one of them before they ran away. He called the police and the child he recognized (8 yrs old) admitted to the damage and told who the other children were.

The parents are going to pay for the damage of course, but he can't get the two koi back or the lovely lilies he's babied for so long. Nor can he easily reclaim the sense of peace and safety he had at his own home.

I really feel badly for him. Sadly, whether it is a child, a raccoon, or a heron, destruction can happen to any of us.