fiction
4 min
Birds
Juyoung Park
I was walking down the street when I saw these three birds yelling at each other. They were perched on a branch of a tree, and it seemed like they were having a heated argument. As I got closer, I could hear their high-pitched chirping and squawking. I stopped to watch them for a moment, curious as to what could be causing such a commotion. The birds were all different colors and sizes, one was bright blue, another was a deep red, and the third was a small brown bird. They were all talking at once, and it was difficult to tell what each of them was saying. After a few moments, I realized that they were arguing over a piece of bread that was lying on the ground below the tree. The blue bird seemed to be the most aggressive, squawking loudly and flapping its wings in an attempt to scare the other birds away from the bread. The red bird was holding its ground, chirping loudly in response, and the small brown bird was trying to stay out of the way, chirping nervously.
I watched them for a few more minutes, fascinated by the interaction between the three birds. It was clear that they were not going to be able to resolve their conflict peacefully, so I decided to intervene. Slowly, I approached the bread, hoping that the birds would fly away and continue their argument elsewhere. As I got closer to the bread, I could feel the tension in the air. The birds were still yelling at each other, and I could feel their eyes on me. I reached down and picked up the bread, holding it out to the birds in an attempt to diffuse the situation. At first, the birds were hesitant, still unsure of my intentions. But then, one by one, they flew down from the branch and began to peck at the bread. As they ate, the tension dissipated, and the birds stopped arguing.
As I walked away, I couldn't help but think about the strange encounter I had just had with the three birds. It was a small moment, but it had been filled with so much emotion and energy. I wondered if the birds would remember their argument, or if they would forget it and move on. As I continued down the street, I thought about how important it is to find ways to resolve conflicts peacefully, even if it means compromising or giving up something that we want. I also thought about the power of small acts of kindness, like picking up a piece of bread and sharing it with others. At that moment, I felt grateful for the opportunity to witness the birds' argument and to learn from it. As I watched, the three birds continued to squabble, flapping their wings and chirping loudly. I couldn't help but wonder what the fuss was about. Were they fighting over food? Territory? Or was it simply a case of egos clashing?
Curious, I decided to get closer to the birds and observe them. As I approached, they seemed to become even more agitated, and I could see that they were not just any ordinary birds. They were magpies, known for their intelligence and sometimes mischievous behavior. One of the magpies noticed me and stopped its yelling. It cocked its head to the side and looked at me with its beady black eyes. I held my breath, wondering what it was going to do next. To my surprise, it flew towards me and landed on my shoulder. The other two magpies, apparently forgetting their argument, followed suit and perched on my other shoulder and head. I couldn't believe it! Here I was, walking down the street, with three magpies as my companions.
As we continued on our walk, I began to notice that the birds were communicating with each other in a way that I could not understand. They seemed to be having their own little conversation, occasionally glancing in my direction as if to include me. We walked for what seemed like hours, with the magpies guiding me through different streets and alleys. At one point, they even led me to a park, where they flew around me and perched on nearby trees. As the sun began to set, the magpies suddenly took off, flying away into the distance. I stood there, feeling a sense of loss as I watched them disappear from sight.
But as I made my way back home, I realized that the experience had taught me something valuable. Even though I couldn't understand the language of the magpies, they had shown me the beauty of communication, even across different species. From that day on, I began to pay more attention to the world around me, to listen and observe more closely, and to appreciate the diversity of life that exists on this planet. And I always remembered the day when I was walking down the street and saw those three birds yelling at each other, a moment that had opened my eyes to a whole new world of possibilities. As I walked closer, I could see that they were not just any birds, but three majestic peacocks with their feathers spread out wide, showcasing their beauty and grandeur.
The peacocks were engaged in a heated argument, and as I got closer, I could hear their conversation. The first peacock was loudly boasting about his impressive feathers, stating that he was the most beautiful bird in the world. The second peacock retorted, saying that beauty was not everything and that he had other talents that were just as impressive. The third peacock seemed to be the peacemaker, trying to calm the other two down and remind them that they were all unique in their own way. As I stood there, fascinated by their conversation, I realized that the peacocks were not just arguing about their appearances, but also about their worth as individuals. It was then that I had an epiphany - just like the peacocks, we as humans are also guilty of comparing ourselves to others and measuring our worth based on external factors. We often forget that each one of us is unique and has our own set of talents and qualities that make us special. Just like the peacocks, we need to embrace our individuality and stop comparing ourselves to others.
Lost in thought, I watched as the peacocks continued their discussion. Suddenly, they stopped arguing and turned to look at me, as if they could sense that I had learned a valuable lesson from their argument. I smiled at them and continued on my way, feeling grateful for the unexpected encounter and the wisdom it had bestowed upon me. From that day on, whenever I saw a peacock, I was reminded of the importance of embracing my individuality and celebrating the unique qualities that make me who I am. And every time I saw a peacock, I remembered the three birds that taught me this valuable lesson on a sunny afternoon as I was walking down the street.
This work of short fiction was written by a Bay Area resident for the San Jose Public Library Short Edition collection.
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