Two Old Women Birdwatching in my Garden

I’d be en pretty down since Jo left me. I’d concentrated on work, as you do, to take my mind of it all and my evenings had become pretty similar; I’d slouch on the sofa in the clothes I’d worn to the office, with a beer in my hand, and watch TV programmes I didn’t really like. I was aware that I was a cliché.

Last night I heard voices – they were right outside my window, talking. I put down my beer, forced myself to my feet, pulled on my boots and went outside.

I saw two old women, their hair in nets and their bodies covered by long, beige coats.

‘What’s going on?’ I asked.

One turned. ‘We’re birdwatching.’

‘In my garden?’ I said. ‘At night?’

‘It’s where the bird is,’ she told me. ‘We think it might have a nest in that tree.’

She pointed.

I said, ‘What kind of bird?’ and she told me, but I can’t remember its name now, I’m no expert. She seemed pretty excited though, I could see it in her face, so I guess it must have been rare or special.

I sat with them, our three backs against the bricks of my house. And I looked up at the tree. I couldn’t see the bird, but I gasped with them and I nodded when they nodded, and I think I ended up being every bit as excited as they were.

If they come over tonight I think I’ll make cocoa.

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Nik Perring is a writer and workshop leader from the UK. His short stories have been published widely in places including Smokelong Quarterly, 3 :AM and Dogmatika and he’s the author of a children’s book. Nik blogs here (http://nikperring.blogspot.com) and his website’s here (www.nperring.com).

© 2009, Metazen. All rights reserved.

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 30th, 2009 at 6:36 pm