“Shhhh! Listen…. Do you hear it?”
“Hear what?”
“Listen.”
“I hear crickets.”
“No…more than that.”
“I hear a horse”
“Yes, that. But it’s not a horse.”
“Why not?”
“Because it’s night time.”
“So? Why can’t it be a horse?”
“Where are there any horses near here?”
“There are horses by Brian's house.”
“That is 6 miles from here.”
“Is that too far?”
“Yes.”
“So. What it is?”
“A bird.”
“A bird?”
“Yes.”
“Is it the Whip bird?”
“Good guess, but not this time.”
“That is the only nighttime bird I know.”
“You know more than that.”
“No I don’t.”
“Yes, you do. What is a night time bird that whinnys?”
“I don’t know.”
“What is the most common night time bird?”
“I don’t know.”
“What is Harry Potter’s bird?”
An Owl?”
“Yes.”
“That is an owl?”
“Yes.”
“Aren’t owls supposed to hoot?”
“Not all owls hoot. Some whinny.”
“Mommmmmy.”
“Really. It’s a Screech Owl.”
“Shouldn’t it Screech?”
“I don’t know why they call it that.”
“How do you know so much?”
“I have heard them before. When I lived on the farm.”
“Oh, before me.”
“Yes, honey. Before you.”
"Mommy, can I have an owl?
"No, we are muggles, we don't keep owls."
“Screech Owl, Screech Owl, Screeech Owwwwl Screcchh.…..”
Sheila kissed Teddy’s head. She picked up the latest Harry Potter from the nightstand and tiptoed out the door. She paused in the hallway to listen to the tremolo of the owl and made a mental note to buy him a bird book for his birthday. He would soon be 10. Maybe it was time for a big boy present.
Showing posts with label mother. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mother. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Ducks in Trees
As I walked down the footpath at the Swamp I could hear other people talking. The voices grew louder as I crossed over the bridge. Standing in the path was a woman and a small boy. He looked to be about 6. He was telling his mother in a very excited voice that he had seen a duck in a tree. The mother was patiently trying to explain that ducks are in the water not in the trees. The little boy was adamant. He kept repeating in a loud voice that he “really, truly” saw a duck in a tree.
As I drew near them, the mother looked at me and shook her head. She smiled a tiny smile.
“Kids.” She said.
I leaned down to the boy. “Where did you see the duck?”
He pointed back down the path. I scanned the trees with my binoculars and sure enough he was right. Back in the trees, fairly high up, was a male Wood Duck.
I turned to the woman and said, “He’s right. There are ducks in trees. That one is a Wood Duck.”
“Here use these.” I let her and the boy use my binoculars.
She looked at me incredulously and followed my pointing finger. “I have never seen a duck in a tree before,” she said. She turned to her son and apologized for doubting him.
The little boy smiled a gigantic smile as they moved passed me on the path.
As they rounded the bend, I heard him say, “I told you there were ducks in the trees.”
As I drew near them, the mother looked at me and shook her head. She smiled a tiny smile.
“Kids.” She said.
I leaned down to the boy. “Where did you see the duck?”
He pointed back down the path. I scanned the trees with my binoculars and sure enough he was right. Back in the trees, fairly high up, was a male Wood Duck.
I turned to the woman and said, “He’s right. There are ducks in trees. That one is a Wood Duck.”
“Here use these.” I let her and the boy use my binoculars.
She looked at me incredulously and followed my pointing finger. “I have never seen a duck in a tree before,” she said. She turned to her son and apologized for doubting him.
The little boy smiled a gigantic smile as they moved passed me on the path.
As they rounded the bend, I heard him say, “I told you there were ducks in the trees.”
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