Cupid Takes Flight
by Joe D.

      "Please help me!  Have you seen him? Did he come this way?"  Poor man, I was breathlessly firing questions at him faster than he could answer.  He was a police officer.  Weren't they supposed to help?

     "Slow down, miss.  I do not have a clue who or what you are looking to find.  Take a deep breath and give me a little more information.  Maybe then I can be of help."

     Stupid jerk.  Didn't he realize this was an emergency? I needed help now.

     "My cockatiel escaped his cage.  I've raised him from an egg.  I have to find him before he gets hurt."  Now I was crying.  Damn!  It wasn't just crying; it was ugly crying.

     "Well, that's a little more information.  I will be glad to help you look for your pet.  What color is it?"  The man was smiling a really great smile.  If things were not so desperate, I would love to get lost in that smile.

     "He's gray with orange circles of color on his cheeks.  He has never been outside before.  He won't know to be afraid of cats or birds of prey.  The only thing that has ever frightened him is men.  I don't know why; but, men terrify him."

     "Well, I'll just have to help you look, then stand back while you do all the work of catching him.  I do not want to scare a little bird.  What is his name?  We could try calling out to him."  This stranger was really working that smile overtime.

     "Thank you!  My name is Lisa.  What's yours?"

     "Hank will do.  It is nice to meet you, Lisa.  Let's find your bird."

     I told Hank the bird's name and off we went.  Up one street and down the other, through yards and parks, and, finally, down toward the beach we went calling loudly as we walked.

     Hours passed without catching site of my bird.  I whistled his favorite tunes.  The theme to the Andy Griffith Show usually got him to whistling along, but, not this time.  My eyes felt as though acid were in them from all my crying.

     There was an open air market Hank thought would attract my cockatiel.  He said that parrots liked fresh fruit.  It would soon be Sun down.  I could not bear the thought of my sweet little caged pet being out in the world after dark.

    "Lisa, I am so sorry we have not seen anything of your little fugitive.  Birds roost when it starts to get dark.  You will not be able to see him up in the trees.  Let me walk you home; and, I will help you start again, first thing in the morning."  That earth shaking smile was still on his lips; but, it had left his eyes.

     "You don't think we'll find him at all, do you?"  The waterworks were starting again.  I should be dried out by now.

     "I do think we will find him.  I just do not think it will be soon.  As you said, this is his first time out in the big, wide world.  He has a lot of exploring to do.  When he starts getting hungry, that is when we will find him."  Hank put his arm around my shoulder in a comforting gesture.

     "I hope you're right.  I won't be able to sleep tonight for worrying about him.  We've been together for five years.  I hatched him as a project in college.  I'm the only mother he's ever known.  We eat together, listen to music and watch TV together.  He even works with me, when I exercise.  The house is going to be so empty."  Yep, more tears were falling.

     Hank walked with me as I headed back to my home.  We still kept our eyes out and called for the little bird.  We did not stop until we reached my front porch.

     "I will be back in the morning to help you look for your bird."  That's when I realized how long we had been searching.

     "Oh, my, you're a policeman.  I've taken you away from important stuff to help me search for a bird.  You must think I'm awful.  What if someone had been robbed or worse; and, you weren't there to help them; because, you were helping me look for a bird?"  I was so embarrassed.  Yes, my bird was important to me; but, what if someone needed help, real help?

     "It is okay, Lisa.  You ran up to me just as I left the station at the end of my shift.  You did not take me away from anything."  There was that smile again, lips and eyes.

     "Aren't you working tomorrow?  I don't want to impose."

     "Tomorrow is my day off.  We can look for that little escape artist all day."

     "What about your family?  Don't you have things to do?"

     "I don't have a family, Lisa.  It would be my pleasure to help you, if you will let me."

     We walked up my steps to the front door.  I felt like I owed him something for all he had done and was willing to do to help me.

     "Would you come in and join me for some dinner?  I have a salad we can share.  I can fix some sandwiches and coffee.  Please don't say 'No', I really owe you for putting up with all my hysterics."

     "Okay, just for a while."  I opened the door and we stepped inside.

     Before I could hit the light switch, we were bombarded with a horrendous screeching.  There were also the sounds of things hitting the floor.  All of this was accompanied by a frenzied whapping sound.

     Hank grabbed me and pushed me behind his back.  Hank clicked on the light, as I peeked around him.

     "He's home!  Let me get to him.  What's wrong with him?"  Fast talking without waiting for answers seemed to be my strong suit.

     "What in the world is he doing?"  Hank asked.

     "I can't get near him.  He may be hurt.  He's caught in something."

     It was my front window screen.  The poor bird had found his way home and tried to fly into the house.  He made it; but, the screen came with him.  He had knocked over most of my bric-a-brac on his way down.  Now he was flopping on the floor screeching at the top of his voice.

     Hank rushed over and gently steadied the screen.  He seemed unsure what to do next.

     "Does he bite?"

     "Not usually.  He's scared though.  The poor little thing will be even worse with you."

     "Well, I am not going to let him bite you."  Hank answered.  He carefully eased his hand under the screen behind the bird.  Hank gently took hold of the birds legs.

     "Come lift the screen, Lisa.  I have a good hold on his legs.  Point out his cage; so, I can get him there quickly."  I hurried to help.  It only took a minute to have the bird back were he belonged.

     Now, I was the one smiling.  All was right with my world.

     "What a beautiful smile.  I've been wondering all day what you would look like without tears."  Hank's smile was getting better by the minute.  Then it hit me.  Hank had actually picked up my bird, my man-scared bird, and carried him to his cage without being bit.

     "Hank, he didn't bite you!  He wasn't afraid.  This is a first for him."  I was actually laughing.

     "Maybe he did not bite me, because he knows I would like to come see the two of you again."  Hank said.

     Hank and I reminisce about that day.  It was Valentine's Day.  You see, Cupid wasn't just in the air that day.  Cupid took flight.  My bird's name is Cupid.

 

    

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