A few days before going to Megan’s wedding, Marcus and I were sitting in the kitchen when we heard a loud thump against the side of the house. Now, our property abuts the properties of two other families with small kids, and no fences have been put in yet. So occasionally we find a stray ball or stray child in our yard. Baby or ball, we don’t mind; we just pick it up and heave it back into the neighbor’s yard.

So when I looked out the window to investigate the thud, I expected to see something round and bouncy, and instead I saw a very shocked bird! It had flown into our spotlessly kept (wink, wink) window and landed, mouth agape, on our deck-in-progress. Naturally, I had to get some pictures.

After snapping a few pictures, I became concerned that there was no change in the bird’s position. Several minutes passed, and it was still motionless, with its mouth still open. I got really close to the bird, and was pretty sure I could hear a tiny scream coming from its tiny beak.

“We should do something,” I said to Marcus.

“Like what?” he responded.

“I don’t know… Maybe we could take it to a vet,” I said.

“Pfft.”

“What? People do that. I’ve heard of people taking animals that weren’t theirs to the vet, when they hit them with the car.”

“Yeah, like cats and dogs,” said Marcus. “Don’t worry about the bird. Someone will come along and help it.”

“Huh? Who?”

“Another animal will come help it,” he said.

I laughed. “Another animal? Like a vulture, maybe?”

“No, a hawk will come along and carry it away,” Marcus argued.

At this point I knew he was pulling my leg, so I elbowed him in the ribcage as I said, “… And eat it!”

“I’ll tell you what,” he said. “If you want me to, I’ll pick it up and throw it off the deck.”

“No! I don’t want to get rid of it. I want it to get better and fly away!”

“I know. If I throw it off the deck, it will have no choice but to start flying. It just needs a little confidence.”

I was thinking over Marcus’ theory, when suddenly the bird moved its head around, closed its mouth, and flew away. No tough love necessary. But before it did, it turned its head to me and mouthed, “Thank you.” Isn’t that sweet?