KAVEE
Aberto Al Dente was a cheerful old chap. And why not? Every
day was a blessing and we knew he didn’t have that many left. Since his
wife Juliana had passed away earlier in the year a hint of melancholia was obvious to
his close friends and daughters but they also noticed how much his spirits lifted when his grandchildren crowded him with giggles and
outstretched hands.
Alberto’s grand-daughter Cecilia was the apple of his eye,
the little person who let him see the future through her giggles. They
spent the afternoons together while her mother worked so they liked to go outside, to look around and Cec loved to go to the
local park where she played on the ‘spider-web’ and the roundabout while
‘grandpa’ sat on a park bench resting.
Today it looked a bit like rain so Grandpa wore his raincoat with a little girls pink cardigan tucked into the ample pocket as he settled in on the modern park bench while she went to play with the other kids about 20 metres away.
The park was a magic place with many shady trees and a broad
expanse of lawn and the laughter and calls of children playing. But there were also calls from crows, those jet black birds that squabbled as they scavenged stuff spilled out of council bins.
One old crow with a crooked wing came walking by, checking out my shoes and everything around the bench, tilting her head back and forth to cover the lot before moving on.
Several metres away there was another modern park bench where a youngish lady was sitting. On the grass in front of her was her baby, a child much less than two, crawling about on a large blanket put there to create a safe, clean playing area for the small child.
Alberto noticed her and smiled at the child, so cute, so innocent and vulnerable, but Alberto was remebering things so he was happy to settle down to his own thoughts as his grandchild and the other kids about the same age climbed on a big weeping fig.
Several metres away there was another modern park bench where a youngish lady was sitting. On the grass in front of her was her baby, a child much less than two, crawling about on a large blanket put there to create a safe, clean playing area for the small child.
Alberto noticed her and smiled at the child, so cute, so innocent and vulnerable, but Alberto was remebering things so he was happy to settle down to his own thoughts as his grandchild and the other kids about the same age climbed on a big weeping fig.
But despite that Alberto noticed that the invalid raven, cause that's what he called them, was hopping around continuously getting closer to where the baby was playing.
"Be careful of that bird." he called across to the young mother, who pretended not to hear him. Alberto realised what an uncouth thing it was to call out like that but he'd done it because he wouldn't feel comfortable approaching a stranger like that.
But his concern was for the baby. When he'd taken care of the sheep he'd seen, the old ones, sometimes when they lay down to die the crows would be stealing their eyeballs even before they drew their final breath.
"They are so fast" he tried explaining to himself as he walked up to the other bench where the mother sat with her baby on the rug.
"What do you want?" she demanded of Alberto.
"The birds", he repeated,"You have to be careful of the birds."
"The birds" she repeated sarcastically. "Maybe you're with the birds! Keep away from me. Don't harass me again or I'll call the police!"
Needless to say Alberto returned to his bench but he couldn't feel comfortable there any more so he went over to the play area and by telling his grandaughter it was time to go see her mother they began walking home.
Finally, behind the closed front door Alberto felt free again. Cecilia ran down the hallway to see her mother and Alberto was sure he didn't hear the siren; maybe a fire engine, Maybe an ambulance. Hard to tell when you don't know.
"Be careful of that bird." he called across to the young mother, who pretended not to hear him. Alberto realised what an uncouth thing it was to call out like that but he'd done it because he wouldn't feel comfortable approaching a stranger like that.
But his concern was for the baby. When he'd taken care of the sheep he'd seen, the old ones, sometimes when they lay down to die the crows would be stealing their eyeballs even before they drew their final breath.
"They are so fast" he tried explaining to himself as he walked up to the other bench where the mother sat with her baby on the rug.
"What do you want?" she demanded of Alberto.
"The birds", he repeated,"You have to be careful of the birds."
"The birds" she repeated sarcastically. "Maybe you're with the birds! Keep away from me. Don't harass me again or I'll call the police!"
Needless to say Alberto returned to his bench but he couldn't feel comfortable there any more so he went over to the play area and by telling his grandaughter it was time to go see her mother they began walking home.
Finally, behind the closed front door Alberto felt free again. Cecilia ran down the hallway to see her mother and Alberto was sure he didn't hear the siren; maybe a fire engine, Maybe an ambulance. Hard to tell when you don't know.
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