I Let Out Such A Scream....

...I was afraid the neighbors would be running in with their guns cocked.

Now it all sounds pretty stupid.

I used to phobic about all pets and animals, except maybe gold fish. Conveniently, most pets were forbidden in Bell Park Gardens, Bayside, New York, when I was growing up. I think they only allowed caged animals, like hamsters, fish and... birds.

At some point, I worked very hard on myself and trained myself not to totally freak out near dogs and cats. I even became a cat lover of sorts and would even voluntarily hold and pet them.

But birds are animals of "a different feather." (You may groan.) I have awful panicky memories of when some neighbors allowed them to fly around their apartment. I shake and shiver just at the thought of them flying around and flapping their wings.

And now for the story...

This morning as I was getting ready to go down to Tel Shiloh to meet my friends, I was in the kitchen. I don't remember exactly what I was doing. We have one of those "open plan" livingroom, diningroom and kitchen in an "L" shape. The door to the merpeset, balcony was open, something very common in warm weather.

Suddenly a big bird flew in. It must have been as frightened as I was, because it kept trying to get out, but birds aren't too bright. It kept crashing into the walls and windows. I kept trying to open the windows so it would leave.

Finally it did, thank G-d.