Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Bye Bye Birdie!

by Sofia Genato

For years, there was a neurotic bird that lived in the tree right outside my window that would start his chirping at the ungodly hour of 5 a.m. everyday, no fail. I have to admit, there were times when his libretto would complement a sunny afternoon with a nice book on hand and a scoop of strawberry haagen dazs. Most of the time however, I wanted to shoot him. I tried shaking the tree once...it didn't work. I tried throwing my slipper, a walis and a soccer ball to try and scare it into moving tree house...didn't work. I tried calling the village guard to figure out a way to get rid of the "pest"...he raised an eyebrow and scratched his head. I bowed mine in defeat. So I resigned myself to living with my feathery Pavarotti and made it a point to make sure my windows were shut tight all the time and that I dug my head under my pillows upon the break of dawn each day.

My grandmother on the other hand loved the bird, it was her "alarm clock", she had it in her mind that this bird was a little gift from God that "sang" to her each morning. She and I differ on many points of view, this little feather duster was one of them. The bird was particularly annoying when I had bouts of my periodic insomnia. There is nothing worse than trying to sleep (when you've had no sleep all night) frustrated in finding a position that gives you respite and having a crazy bird hamming it out right outside your window. I waited, seethed and prayed for a miracle (or a slingshot). 

As with all living things, his time eventually came. About a month ago, we discovered that the tree outside my window was in bad shape, it was old and the branches were pretty weak and falling. Ok I admit it, I was on the lookout for its demise, and at the first sign of rot...I pounced. So we decided it was time to take it down, lest a typhoon hit and the tree go flying around and land on someone's roof. We called the village maintenance and they came and chopped it up for good. We planted a new tree in its place. I threw a party to celebrate the birds demise. Haha just kidding.

These days, there is a welcome silence that awaits me when dawn breaks or I come home from a party at 5 a.m. As I lay my head on my pillow and hear the comforting sound of just my aircon, I can't help but wonder where the bird is and if he is still belting it out each day, who he is driving crazy with his singing. I wish that person, lots of luck and some chamomile tea.

Farewell party soon. Seriously.

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