Saturday, January 24, 2009

Randos in the Mist

Despite the heavy fog, a band of five randos was observed Thursday in the chilly wilds of King and Snohomish counties. Although each had a distinct "personality," all seemed to share a common purpose. The band included Lumbering Oaf, Chattering Hummingbird, Cheerful Doctor, Whiny but Happy, and the Grand Old One.

Wandering Habits. The randos range wide, but return at the end of the day to where they started. This band covered 209 kilometers, but began and ended at the same location.

Collection Behavior. The randos appear obsessed with collecting slips of paper at various stopping points. It can only be surmised that this band uses these scraps as a means of describing their travels to others of their species.

Feeding Patterns. An eclectic diet characterizes this group. Consumption of everything from plant products to meat products to barely identifiable synthetics was observed. Caffeine-based liquids appear to be a critical component of the randos' diet, especially that of Lumbering Oaf.

Avian Interaction. Although apparently uninterested in birds as prey, the randos would stop in their tracks to observe the local avian population. In particular, sightings of red-tailed hawks and bald eagles appeared quite distracting to the randos.

Temperature Adaptation. Clad in layers of wool and unnatural fibers, the band appeared almost, but not completely, adapted to temperatures that varied only from -2 to +2 degrees centigrade. Grunts were exchanged that appeared to signify complaints on this score.

Communication Patterns. Generalizations are difficult here. At one extreme, Chattering Hummingbird and Cheerful Doctor communicated freely and apparently quite happily. At the other extreme, Grand Old One and Lumbering Oaf appeared to issue only occasional grumpy grunts.

End-of-Day Gathering. After nearly twelve and a half hours of wandering, the band gathered, apparently to discuss how wonderful they were. A few partook of fermented beverages, which apparently enhanced and encouraged this discussion.