A Bird on the Asphalt: A Morning's Encounter with Uncertainty

The narrative opens with a scene of uncertainty: a stunned bird lies on the asphalt, its glassy eyes reflecting confusion. The narrator and a girl observe it, speculating on its condition – a fallen fledgling or a bird that chose to land. The immediate puzzle is its inability to fly. The girl leans towards a broken wing, noting its listless posture, while the narrator privately considers heatstroke, recalling a past instance where a similar-looking bird was revived with water.

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We don't know what to do. We stare fixedly at the little bird on the asphalt. It seems stunned, with glassy eyes.

The narrator's internal monologue reveals a tendency to interpret the world through personal anecdotes. While the girl searches for a bird rescue hotline, the narrator is drawn to a Bukowski poem about a bluebird trapped within the heart, a metaphor that resonates with the vulnerable creature under the hot sun. Gently, the narrator moves the bird into the shade of a lemon tree and fetches water.

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I see both equally weak, but I keep it to myself. I only discreetly comment that perhaps it has had a heatstroke and, if we cool it down, maybe it will recover.

Upon returning, the narrator finds a child near the bird. The child admits to moving it, prompting the narrator to explain that birds, especially this one, should not be touched. The bird, now seemingly more active, perhaps from the shade or fear, is offered water from a leaf by the child, who is allowed to help. The morning's small drama concludes with the bird drinking, leaving the observers to depart for lunch, their task seemingly complete. Whether the bird ultimately flew to freedom or met a more unfortunate end remains unknown, but the narrator finds solace in the act of intervention.

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In the end, we only see the world from our collection of anecdotes.