Thursday 3 February 2011

Don't get involved


I was walking through a small wood on the edge of a large field the other day, when I heard the sound of a blackbird in distress. Coming out of the fringe of trees, I saw a large hawk on the ground, reaching down at something which it was shielding with it's outstretched wings.

As I noticed it, so it noticed me and looked up, staring at me intently with furious eyes. Then, to my amazement, it spoke.

"What are you looking at?" it asked, pausing briefly from it's grim task. I stared back speechless.

"Look mate, unless you want to get involved - which I wouldn't recommend - piss off and mind your own business."

From the look in it's eyes, I could tell that it was serious, but I just stupidly stood there, frozen to the spot and staring helplessly.

"Are you deaf?" it continued, "I said piss off!"

So I turned away and left the scene, feeling cowardly and undignified.

12 comments:

  1. Yes, don't mess with birds. Did you ever watch that movie by Hitchcock called The Birds?

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  2. Mother Nature at her basest.

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  3. Typical bloody Hawk. They're like that, aren't they!

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  4. By the look in that eye you did the right thing there!

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  5. Hitchcock? 'The Birds'? Never heard of it, Bris.

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  6. I don't blame you Tom! That eye's giving me the heebies just looking at it on my screen.

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  7. I felt that there was subtext too! The whole story sounded like a metaphor. And you are kidding about "The Birds" I'm sure. Ann

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  8. I wrote a brief account, last night, of the incident of about 25 years ago which sparked off this little story, but thankfully the internet went down so I didn't post it.

    This morning I am left with the thought that if I wanted to write a straight account of something that actually happened, then that's what I would have done in the first place. What I wanted to do was impart a feeling which could be immediately understood by most people, rather than explain a situation then separately talk about how I felt about it, like explaining a joke to someone who just hasn't got it.

    If the event had happened yesterday, then (with the benefit of modern communications) I'm sure I would have written about it as a factual account. As it is, then it has had time to resolve itself in my head, but never did, which is precisely why I have written the above. I don't need to be made to feel better about it, because I don't feel bad about it.

    Like I said - don't get involved.

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