George adjusted the neck and waded in.  The neck kept doubling over on its side and looked like a swan in distress, which was certainly not George’s intention.

Although initially a joke, the idea was, in fact, the perfect solution.  George had thought about it for several days, examining the proposed solution for flaws and drawbacks. Other than getting wet, he couldn’t find one. The whole village knew Gina was the smart one.

He wanted a close-up of the the swan family: the cob, the pen and their five newborn cygnets. The babies were adorable, and he wanted to win the village’s photo competition this year. After six years of participation, he had yet to even place. This was his year. He just knew it.

He stood on tiptoe to keep the water out of his mouth.  He bent the neck one more time, hoping the wire framing would hold, and zipped up, leaving enough room for the camera lens.

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