lightning! Australian pensioner Mel Richards from the village of Belwater near Townsville has been afraid to go out into his garden for nine months. He is pursued by his mother a woman, whom the locals call Eric for some reason. Every morning until six she watches him by the path while he goes to get the newspaper, she follows him all day and hums, and the locked gate and the fortified fence do not stop her. Richards complained to the mayor's office and two state departments, but, according to him, "everyone is moving the needle." In response, the Ministry of the Environment stated that rangers were monitoring the bird and "no worrisome behavior was observed".