All and Sundry

I threw bird seed at a man today, by accident. There were these two crows outside of the pharmacy, huddled on the metal railing. Aw. Cold. During winter, spring, summer, and fall you will find a bag of bird seed that I randomly toss out like I'm the float at the Mardi Gras with beads. I drive one handed and spread millet down the medians of town, probably helping out the rat population as well as the birds.

Now, crows eat what, bigger stuff than seed? Mice, smaller birds, corn, bread, I really don't know but in winter you can't be picky. The two are watching me, looking all Hallmark card blackbird on a rail and I think Oh! Bird Seed! I make kissy noises, and launch a handful over the parking lot drifts so it hits the sidewalk where this man is maybe one foot away from site zero. He gets hit with only a few, but gives me a look and holds his hand up to say stop it, woman.

I apologized profusely and he smiled. I think he smiled. Maybe it was a teeth clench. The seed disappears through the poof of snow covering everything and one of the crows flies down and discovers a slice of Italian bread by the curb. The other crow, seeing this bonanza, hops onto the railing directly in front of my car and starts bobbing and fluffing feathers. I am behind the steering wheel, telling the crow that I don't have bread only bird seed, but of course she is trying her best for a slice; she lowered her head and Looked Me In The Eye.

It almost got me to go into the store and buy a loaf: Yes O Crow, I heed and obey. But really, the place is next door to a McDonald's across from a grocery store and several small restaurants. She was okay. I was extremely impressed by the act of communication. We are all probably on record with some corner security camera, that part of the neighborhood is rough. The McDonald's has previously been busted for dispensing LSD of all things from the drive through window.