peep-peep

I've been feeling better. 

Losing weight. Discarding some bad habits and states of mind.

It won't always be this great. 

But it's been a load off.

Looking back on some old garb hanging in the back of my closet, I found an old friend. 

For an ancient red hoodie, it still looked okay. 

This one had been with me a long time. There is one small hole, and the seam of one of the two front pouch pockets is separating. 

But otherwise, suitable. 

It fits well again. 

It has that familiar feel, and a baked-in ease to it. 

Those times weren't always great. 

But it's nice to be able to look back from a distance. 

I prefer the zipper hoodies to the pull-over ones. There's really no comparison. 

I zipped it up and wore it out last weekend, running errands. 

I found myself entering a kind of strange mental niche all the sudden. 

Not bad. 

Better than bad. 

It was good. 

When I parked and stepped out of my car, I looked up and just happened to catch sight of a little red bird, perched on a wire above me. 


Feeling good, I gave him a little whistle. 

I can chirp from between my two front teeth. 

Just a few little notes, that's enough. I'm not a native speaker, and can't be sure what I'm actually saying. 

I began my walk down the sidewalk, but I thought I heard something. 

I couldn't help but think it had called back to me, after my salutory chirp. 

I looked up again, and there he was.

It was a he. The males are always more brightly colored. 

And he was all in red that day. Just like me. 

So I replied again, chirping in kind.

Was I imagining it? He seemed to be chirping back at me, from up there. 

Couldn't be. 

But I smiled and whistled one last time before turning to go. 

And as I walked, I could hear him behind me.

Keeping up the conversation we had started.  

Tweeting after me-- flying along behind and above, landing on this, landing on that.

Calling to me, seemingly. If I didn't know better. 

But despite myself, I couldn't help but talk back to him as we went along. 

It would be rude not to. 

I would say it was all a happy coincidence, easy to mistake for a chat between beings, if it hadn't continued this way down one city block...

Right two city blocks...

And down another half block. 

By the time I'd gotten to where I was going, I couldn't help but feel this was goodbye. 

The little red bird surely would lose track of me, if I disappeared indoors now. 

What was the meaning of this? Why was it following me, so? 

Could I just be imagining it?

I stood outside the door and chattered with it a few moments more, trying to say goodbye. 

Turning its little dark head this way and that, regarding me on the ground below, first with one eye, then the other. 

Chirping all the while, me chirping back, feeling a little foolish as normal people passed by, trying to ignore me.

Nearly late now, I said, "Sorry bird, I gotta go," in my best, broken sparrow:

("Peep-peep peep, peep peep-peep peep.")

Then, turning, I went inside, amused.

I was inside for a time, then came out again. 

Without much hope, I looked up. He was gone. 

Nobody here but us chickens.  

I walked back to my car. About half a block up, I thought I'd try whistling again. 

Not really expecting anything. 

A little birdsong again: I peeped idly, chin up, into the sky.

This went on until the cross walk. Above and behind me, I caught sight of something out of the corner of my eye. 

The little red bird.

Could it have been a different one? Sure.

Could it all have been some freakish coincidence? 

Sure.

But we talked like old pals on the way back to where I had parked, as though no time had passed. 

He fluttered on, both of us calling and repeating each other.

We talked, merrily, but, neither had much to say.

It wasn't long before I was back at my car.

"Well, goodbye," I peeped.

("Peep, peep-peep,")

It won't always be this great.

But right now is pretty okay.

I got in my car, watching it watch me, even pulling back the sunroof cover so I could look up at him as I put my keys in the ignition and turned. 

And I left.

See ya, little guy. 

It's nice wearing an old sweater that fits again.

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