Puffin: Fact or Fiction?

This one looks like a swanky old man. Photo courtesy of puffinpalooza.com.

Do you know what a puffin is? I didn't... until last week.  Well, that is not entirely true. For most of  my existence, I had never even heard of a puffin.  Then, in my 19th year of life (2003... Lord, I'm getting old), when I saw the film "Elf," I heard of a puffin for the first time. Still, I thought these so-called puffins were merely magical creatures of the Arctic created just for the movie, and that they didn't truly exist.  Do you recall the scene in "Elf" when Buddy is running through a snowstorm, and a cute little bird asks him a question, and Buddy yells, "Not now, Arctic Puffin!"? Well that was my first puffin encounter (youtube video clip: arctic puffin from elf.). 

Now, 9 years later, I have had yet another puffin-epiphony: during a visit with Fiance-Matt to Bar Harbor, Maine last weekend I learned the truth that these animals are in fact REAL.  The realization was gradual, though.  When Matt and I first arrived in misty Bar Harbor, I saw a building with a sign that read "Whales & Puffins." (The sign is pictured on the building below, but difficult to see).  When I first saw this sign, my wheels began to spin.  "Are puffins real? I thought they were made-up and only in Elf?" I pondered to myself.  But then I got distracted by the beautiful scenery surrounding us, and didn't think much more on the subject.

After a lovely stroll through the town, we made our way back to the main street in search of some sustenance.  En route, we passed the "Whales & Puffins" sign yet again, and I was once more forced to confront my seemingly solid beliefs about the puffin.  As we passed the sign for the second time, I was thinking that it was quite odd that a whale-watching adventure company would adverstise real whales with some mythical animal. Yet once again, I didn't get hung up on the issue, but rather suppressed the thought to the depths of my subconscious.  I moved on to more important things, like tracking down clam chowder and a lobster roll, which we ultimately found at Geddy's, and adorable establishment right in the hub of Bar Harbor (clam chowder was delicious, the lobster roll, not so much). 

However, the issue of the puffin was not to be avoided that day.  Just as we were finishing up our meal, I saw yet another trace of the puffin --- a Maine license plate with a drawing of two puffins, and motto on it that read "Home of the puffin" (see below).  This confirmed it. The puffins were real, in all their cute, fluffy glory.  I exclaimed to Matt, "Look! The puffins are on the Maine license plate. They are real!" Immediately following this revelation, my eyes began to well up with tears at the thought of this beautiful creature which once only existed in my mind, yet was actually real all along.  And not only was it real, but it was adorable.  "I want a puffin," I declared, as my face scrunched up into a cry-shape.  Matt couldn't resist calling attention to my emotional reaction, "Your'e going to cry, aren't you?" he probed (while also laughing at me). Yes, yes I was. I cried. A soft, gentle, keep-it-somewhat-to-yourself type cry, but I cried.  About a puffin.

The puffin license plate -- the cause of my tears.

Post-puffin meltdown.

Perhaps the best part of all this was when on Friday night, at our final apartment party, I was recalling the story to one of my dear friends, Paige.  I was telling her that all along I thought that puffins were fake, just like the Narwhal which was another imaginary creature in the movie "Elf."  Paige just about began to crumble with laughter.  "Narwhals are real, too, Jenny!!!"  Oh my. Apparently I have some brushing up to do on my animal science.  And apparently I'm now also in the market for a puffin.  Please let me know if you gotta guy.  

snuggly fluffy puffin :)

Pre-puffin revelation.