Sunday, May 16, 2010

Bird On The Wing

It's a cool and quiet Sunday afternoon. Outside a steady rain is falling. Earlier the rain was so heavy the workers constructing my privacy fence had to stop for the day. I look forward to the fence's completion as it will resemble a monastic enclosure. I'm sure that when it is completed I will feel like a Carmelite nun separated from the outside world. Unlike a Carmelite nun, when it is completed I will probably sit in my swing and listen to my Ipod playing "The Wall" by Pink Floyd.

At the moment, though, I sit here at my desk surrounded by the sounds of my washing machine and the music of Steely Dan. Pretzel Logic? I'm not sure which CD is playing. To me it is all just Steely Dan music. When I woke up this morning I discovered a bird flying around in my house. I must assume the bird was in my house all night. One of the workers must have left a door open. If at any point in the night he had landed on my wife's face, the police and the local coroner would still be here documenting my wife's death. When I discovered the bird he was flying around in the room where I am in now in a state of absolute terror. The St. Francis within me kicked in and I was able to catch the bird without harming him. I took him outside and let him fly away. I'm sure I made the bird's day.

Earlier this morning I attended a brunch at my sister's to celebrate another nieces college graduation. I was standing in the kitchen getting a cup of coffee when a woman I didn't know told me she loved my glasses and that I had a very distinguished and intellectual "look". We introduced ourselves and she asked "Didn't you go to the seminary"? I replied that I did but now it was my son who was the seminarian. She then asked my views on the current state of the Catholic Church. When I began to pontificate my liberal views and opinions I quickly realized I was having a conversation with an arch conservative who thought nothing good has happened since the Council of Trent in the 16th Century. I quickly realized that she wasn't very open to my thoughts on women and gays so I quickly moved over to the bowl of mini muffins and country ham biscuits. I also whispered a thank you to my sister for introducing an ultra liberal...me...to her arch conservative neighbor.

My three day weekend is almost over. It went by quickly but the extra day was so nice. I really need to start working a four day work week and have three day weekends every weekend.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

You never answer questions like that. You did the right thing, run. lol