Bye Bye Birdie

When Mama Finch decided to take up residence in my dog’s collection of toys that were housed inside of our carport, I could only envision a most unfavorable outcome. Amazingly, the mama bird managed to build a nest and lay four eggs without any interference from my spastic boxer. I'm not sure if her decision to set up housekeeping in our busy carport was because she was being super smart or super, well, not so smart. NONETHELESS, it was immediately apparent that I must spring into action if these embryos were going to survive. I hastily constructed a barricade around the nest to rival the one they have at Fort Knox. I also forbade my family from any and all unnecessary activities inside the carport.

The baby birds, I am happy to report, are thriving. The nest is getting super crowded as these little rays of hope and happiness are growing at astounding speed. These rascals have started jabbing each other with their sharp little beaks and that concerns me greatly. I also worry about the heat. And the noise. And if they are getting enough to eat. And if they will be able to find their way out of the garage when it is time for them to leave the nest...and on and on it goes, THE WORRY!

It is interesting how I concern myself endlessly with the welfare of these birds that have taken up camp in my carport and the rest of the bird population I practically never think about. I love birds, I really do, I just don't see myself joining the Audubon Society any time soon or ever.

You may remember a while back when a Tsunami hit over in like Thailand or somewhere, I am not sure where it was exactly. Anyway, people around me were acting all upset and horrified. Since it happened way across the world from my home in Georgia it was hard for me to actually, you know, care. I pretended to be all upset and horrified too because I didn't want anyone to know that I am, in reality, a callous, uncaring, cold-hearted piece of stone. If you need further proof of my utmost insensitivity to the cause of mankind, I confess...I never sent one single redneck cent to the starving children. You know, the ones with the pot bellies and the flies swarming? That benevolent cause is equally horrible to ignore.

But these dang birds in my carport, I can't take my eyes off of them. They are my life. I would step in front of a bullet for these little pip-squeaks (okay, maybe that is a little overstated). You would think I had a nest full of North American Bald Eagles.

I care about people and animals everywhere, I really do. I care about birds, dogs, cats, the humpback whale and Loggerhead sea turtles. I care about people, red and yellow black and white, girls, boys and the inbetweens. But it is almost always the creatures that live in my backyard that will get my full-on, undivided attention. The people I live with, work with, see at Walmart or at the fried chicken joint...they get the lion's share of all my love and devotion. The stuff that exists in my periphery, I don't care as much. I wish I did care more but I am a terrible liar and I have a hard time acting upset when I'm watching tsunami videos that these world weary humanitarians stick in my face.

I am a self-absorbed pig with tunnel vision. I'm not proud of it but it is hard to hide.

MHC

23 June 2020