The Wind Wrote in the Water at 4:15 pm

Friday, April 01, 2005

Once upon a time, there was an egg.

This egg could easily fit into the palm of your hands. It was as white as the purest of pearls, as smooth as velvet to the touch. Needless to say it was probably lighter than the trinkets you carry. But not many would realise that a wonderous creature lay snoozing inside.

The proud parents of this treasure were two blue kingfishers, and they made a nest of fallen twigs, strings, rubbish, textile on a tree. The nest looks precariously perched on a mid-way branch, but quite frankly, it was as steady as a rock.

Mama bird would sit of the egg most of the time, incubating it with her body heat. Papa bird would scrounge for food within the vicinity of the nest, as well as doing his vigilant patrols, keeping all would-be intruders at bay.

After 7 weeks, baby bird broke out of his egg shell. It was as naked as a mole rat, and its eyes were not yet opened. Exhausted after breaking his cage, he just tumbled around the nest and laid quite still, except the soft breathing heaving his tiny chest up and down, up and down, up and down...

The two parent birds would take turns to fly out and forage for food. Sometimes their journey would take them many miles into the open fields and small streams. Ceaselessly and tirelessly they would go out on such sorties, facing unexpected dangers, returning with some small insect. The ravenous baby bird made short work of his meal.

By now baby bird was quite aware of his surroundings and with time, his strength and curiosity grew. Furry grey feathers grew on his once naked body. Opening his eyes for the first time, he surveyed his world.

Perching high above the ground had the advantage of being on a vantage point. He saw many many buildings, all around. People went about their daily businesses. Some were carrying groceries, some in twos or threes, all kinds of people. It was the cars that scared him with their loud noises. Soon, something caught his eyes. It was a green lantern hung above a window.

The green lantern fascinated baby bird. By day it sometimes twirled with the gentle breeze that swept pass. By night it glowed like a ghostly flame in the dark, alluring all and certainly very attention catching. Baby bird could not shift his gaze, mesmerised.

In time, he grew larger and bolder. His old feathers have almost moulted away. In place were new feathers, blue and dazzling. He flapped his wings, eager to exercise those cold flight muscles. Never was his attention drawn away from the green lantern across the street. His heart now yearns to be at the green lantern, to claim it as his own.

Eventually, the time came for him to take his daring first flight. Of course, it was a good effort, but poor performance. He spiraled half flying, half falling towards the ground. In less than 2 seconds he had dropped to the ground. It took him the whole day just to return to his nest, but of course, it was good practice. Nature has its way with all living things. Soon, baby bird was proficient at flying.

With a much bolder heart and confidence in his flying abilities, baby bird decided to head for the green lantern, yearning for him just across the street. He flapped his wings vigourously, warming them up. He plotted his flight path in his mind. Standing at the edge of the nest, he slowly, slowly, dropped into the air.

What a rush he felt, finally flying towards the green lantern. He was only halfway across the street when an oncoming car slammed right into him, and him on the windscreen.

THE END.

p.s happy april's fool.