(no subject)
today i realized how crippling shock can be. a little bird told me. literally. i was at work and luis, my favorite maintenance man, sketchy on english and genuinely nice, came to me holding a little bird. at first i thought "ok, fake birds on the fake designer decorated christmas tree is a step beyond tacky" but he stood there stroking the damn thing and when it sqwuaked i jumped about 7 feet vertically and yelped "its real?!"
he kinda gave me this funny look as if to say "ya you retard what else would it be?" and my xmas tree adorning theory went to shit. we both stood there looking at it (i hadnt yet figured out how he'd managed to approach, catch, and tame a wild bird) until i scooped it up from him and took it outside and he asked me what its name was. ohh the joy of language barriers.
"its name?"
"ya. bird?"
"ohh. its naaaame. ya, bird. what happened to it?"
i ran a finger lightly over the back of the bird's wing, trying to detect a broken something. it didnt move. the only sign of life was a blink here and there, light pressure from one talon on my finger and a wide open beak. pretty unnatural for a bird, if you ask me. luis motioned with one fist as it connected with his other palm and said "i was looking out and bam! she hit, and down." and pointed from the huge window (more like a glass wall, really) and down to the ground.
awwww man, birds never survive that accident. birdie was still nestled against my stomach, clearly in shock. but what the hell, i wasnt busy, i could birdie-sit. i put him down on the sidewalk, willing him to do something instinctive, and luis tried to scare him into action, but still he sat, beak agape, frozen in place. i can only imagine what he could be thinking.
so i went to get water (what for, you ask? ya i dont know either) and attempted the old "bucket o' cold water" tactic, but when i reached for him, he flinched. good sign. and then he closed his beak! more good signs! i cant describe to you my excitement when he scurried one way, then the other. at first i thought his wing was broken because he hadnt flown, but then he took off out over the hills toward a tree and i squealed, clapped my hands together like a five year old and jumped up and down. luis laughed and shook his head.
weird how shock can freeze even the most skittish of animals. i hope he doesnt have brain damage.
he kinda gave me this funny look as if to say "ya you retard what else would it be?" and my xmas tree adorning theory went to shit. we both stood there looking at it (i hadnt yet figured out how he'd managed to approach, catch, and tame a wild bird) until i scooped it up from him and took it outside and he asked me what its name was. ohh the joy of language barriers.
"its name?"
"ya. bird?"
"ohh. its naaaame. ya, bird. what happened to it?"
i ran a finger lightly over the back of the bird's wing, trying to detect a broken something. it didnt move. the only sign of life was a blink here and there, light pressure from one talon on my finger and a wide open beak. pretty unnatural for a bird, if you ask me. luis motioned with one fist as it connected with his other palm and said "i was looking out and bam! she hit, and down." and pointed from the huge window (more like a glass wall, really) and down to the ground.
awwww man, birds never survive that accident. birdie was still nestled against my stomach, clearly in shock. but what the hell, i wasnt busy, i could birdie-sit. i put him down on the sidewalk, willing him to do something instinctive, and luis tried to scare him into action, but still he sat, beak agape, frozen in place. i can only imagine what he could be thinking.
so i went to get water (what for, you ask? ya i dont know either) and attempted the old "bucket o' cold water" tactic, but when i reached for him, he flinched. good sign. and then he closed his beak! more good signs! i cant describe to you my excitement when he scurried one way, then the other. at first i thought his wing was broken because he hadnt flown, but then he took off out over the hills toward a tree and i squealed, clapped my hands together like a five year old and jumped up and down. luis laughed and shook his head.
weird how shock can freeze even the most skittish of animals. i hope he doesnt have brain damage.