GRANT COUNTY - Every bird has wings and every bird that has wings flies far up in the sky and sees the whole world from up above. Sometimes, birds just need a different view and choose not to fly. They just might want to hitch a ride instead.
One day, a curious young robin decided to take a stroll on a city mail carrier's truck in the Town of Boscobel. Early in the day, the robin landed in a tree branch and chirped to the others. He even slurped down a delicious slimy worm from the ground.
After the robin gulped the worm down, he pushed off and flew to a nearby yard searching for more edibles. Not far away, a human came into view. It was a woman, dressed in a light blue postal uniform. As the robin stood and watched her, he was suddenly struck by the intensity of the heat of this day. He couldn’t imagine how the mail carrier felt in this scorching heat.
As the mail carrier got back into her mail truck and started to move on to the next portion of her route, the robin spread his wings and fluttered onto the window wipers of her truck already enjoying the new experience. You might say that he went along for the ride.
“Why not get a lift around town?” the bird thought as the air rushed over him.
The mail carrier noticed his presence and instantly was surprised. Why would a robin land on the windshield wiper, out of all of the places where it could've landed. She thought the robin would fly away after the next mail stop, but the robin continued to stay on the windshield wiper.
“Alright buddy, I’m not your mother!” she said at one point.
This unusual action by the robin took her back to the 60s and a Dr. Seuss book, ‘Are you my mother?’ This had also been her daughter's first book from which she had learned how to read.
The robin cocked his neck seemingly confused by her words. After all, he was simply hitching a ride.
“How could I be your mother? I am a human…” the mail carrier said, as she became convinced the robin had lost its mother. On the other hand, the robin looked around and began wondering if hitching a ride from this mail carrier was such a good idea after all.
“Are all humans crazy?” the robin thought.
During one stop, the mail carrier set off down Ideal Street in a sprint it seemed, and went to each door or mailbox delivering mail. The robin was impressed by how professional and efficient she was. Within minutes, the mail carrier was back in the truck and ready to deliver again.
“Still here?” she said, as she remained surprised at the robin’s presence.
While his windshield experience continued, he couldn't help but close his eyes and enjoy the ride. No flying. No stressing about becoming a meal to a predator—just relaxing in the breeze.
As he noticed the truck come to a stop, he peeled his eyes open and spotted fellow robins roaming across the street feasting on worms and vegetation. One thing he knew was important to a bird was you never miss out on the chance for a good meal. So he grew conflicted, because he was really enjoying the ride around town from the crazy mail carrier.
With hesitation, the bird flew to the others and began getting his meal.
When the mail carrier returned to her truck, she noticed the robin was gone.
“He must have found his mother,” she said.
In the corner of the bird’s eye, he could see the mail truck moving to a different location.
“That’s alright, I know where to find her if I want a ride again. Maybe next time, I’ll invite a friend,” the robin said to himself feeling quite satisfied.
Too busy to keep up with all the online stuff and Facebook feeds? We feel your pain. Subscribe to the Crawford County Independent news paper at indscout@mwt.net, and get solid, LOCAL NEWS YOU CAN USE delivered to your mailbox weekly, to enjoy and employ as best fits your busy schedule.
