Boy & socially distanced heron

I had had a reason to travel to Dun Laoghaire: to pick up a form at the doctor's (and I took the opportunity to drop something off for Jonathan who lived around the corner). And to take the collie, Duncan, for a walk on the lovely, disheveled West Pier with its old green lighthouse and blue benches sunk in weeds. Weather was all over the place, clouds with many dramatic partings, contemplating showers. And people all over the place too, walkers and joggers, with hardly anyone wearing a mask despite each others' proximity and the new, highly infectious strain. 

When we got to the lighthouse at the end of the pier Duncan charged up the narrow steps to the top of the old granite wall, where it narrows to a slim walkway. Not very safe but I followed. When I saw a couple making my way I indicated that the width was too narrow and they backed away, allowing me to get down. I turned then and saw a boy (one of their children I think) walking nonchalantly towards the end of the wall, where a heron was now standing. The boy stopped about 20 paces from the bird and they regarded each other, like balanced symmetrical symbols or two figures on a seesaw, the whole weight of the sky between and that interesting frisson of tension. Far better distanced than most of us below.