THE BIRDS!

The other day, while I was sitting with TLW (The Little Woman) in my den, the day was sunny and bright. Hours before, TLW had attacked our sliding doors with a big time washing, both inside and out, making it appear like there was no glass in the doors.

As we settled in for the afternoon, we were watching a movie when I hear a big bang strike the window.

“What the hell was that?” I ask TLW, who shrugs her shoulders. Then about another hour later, I hear another loud bang and I get up from my chair and go investigate. On the ground outside my sliding door lies a bird, which is still alive and just barely breathing with its eyes shut, obviously in pain!

Exactly what it looked like!

Looking at the poor creature, we realize the windows are too clean, the birds must be seeing the trees reflected in the glass and are thinking beyond the glass pane. It hurts to see a beautiful creature suffer, one that is so innocent and gives so much to nature in terms of man’s enjoyment was laying there hurting and in this case, seriously. This must have been the second bird to hit the window, remembering the bang I heard prior to this one. The first one must have survived and flew off eventually, or was carried away by another creature!

I want to help the bird but know that it may be beyond help and decide even if I lift it, if the damage is done, there is nothing to do but let it at least not be frightened in its last moments. I walk away and decide I will check on it later, maybe it will be ok and fly off, but I doubt it.

About a half hour later I come back and it has stopped breathing and not moved at all, it is dead. I tell TLW, and I know, like all husbands everywhere, I have a job, remove the dead bird. So I get the creature and put it in the garbage can, which I rather do than bury it because I don’t know what I will attract by doing that. maybe mice or some squirrel or even a neighbor’s cat. At least the bird will be incinerated eventually.

The bird has a date with the mortician next Tuesday when he comes to my curb and empties my garbage can into his big green Hurst.