"Good food, its nice to find a scatter of wheat like this at this time of
the year," observed Pete.
"Yeah, there seems to be loads of soggy stuff but this is nice, could use a
little barley to go with it," remarked Opal, who always seemed to be able to
find something wrong with even the best situation.
"What a nice day, its warm and we have something to eat, man I feel as free
as a bird." chortled Edgar.
"Yep." said Charlie, "free as a bird." A ripple of laughter passed
through the flock amidst seed crunching and head bobbing.
Opal flapped her wings and lifted her double chin, " This red spring stuff is
fine but I prefer Durham myself, easier to digest and just as nutritious."
"Yep" said Charlie, "just as nutritious."
Edgar had side stepped up to Opal and was looking over her shimmering neck band.
He nipped another kernel then muttered. "Opal, let's slip away from this crowd,
I think we were meant for each other."
Opal gave Edgar a hard look, he was a big fella with a tan coat and chocolate coloured
head. "Edgar, its the middle of winter, where in the world do you get such ideas,
you quit hanging around with Charlie cause you are starting to talk like an idiot.
- - - 'Meant for each other!' In you dreams sandman."
Edgar kick a few kernels into the air and raised his head, "Heah, Charlie how's
the pickens over there?"
Charlie was on the far West side of the flock on the edge of the sprinkling of wheat
that had fallen from a seeder. "Oh, its seems nice enough Edgar, seems fresh,
yep, seems fresh."
Edgar began the strut toward Charlie picking up another kernel and heading toward
him then out of the corner of his eye he saw the lights. Everyone else had the head
down or they were facing North. "Car!" Yelled Edgar. "Car!"
Instantly the flock bounded into the air snapping into a clean right climbing turn
with Edgar leading them aloft.
"Yep," said Charlie, "could be a car, damn good wheat though."
Charlie looked up at the flock lifting away, then over his shoulder at the blue car
creeping toward him. "Hell," said Charlie aloud, "cars don't eat grain."
He looked up at the flock now reeling into a circle, smiled his very own pigeon smile
and picked up a big seed and munched on it with relish. Damn fools, he thought, yep,
damn fools.
