Little Bluebird

I am a tall tree with branches reaching from the bottom of my body to the very tip-top. Birds often land in me to rest. I love the feeling of their feet wrapping around my smaller branches. It tickles a bit. I even have a little blue bird who nests in me year-round. The best of mothers she is. I am proud to have her. And it always brings me great delight to hear her young ones chirp for the first time every spring. She brings them worms and warmth and I play my part. Sheltering them among my many arms. Squirrels climb me as well. Running all up and down through me and through my little tree house that was built not long ago, maybe fifteen years or so. Occasionally a cat will venture to climb me. They are the heaviest although still light on me. They are nice at first. Delighted by this new playpen they seem to have discovered, and their joyful purrs as they bathe in the sun in the tree house bring almost as much joy as that of those baby birds. But when they attempt to go back down they begin mewling, distressed as though unsure how they ever arrive at a point of such height. Their claws will dig into my bark, hurting the little critters that crawl beneath it and their backs will become stiff. Sometimes they realize not much is to be done and brave the terrifying journey back to the ground to go eat supper. But sometimes they will be paralyzed with fear and wait there until the strange looking humans - always different colors - come looking for them in disarray and distress. Calling their names like they themselves might call their kits. They will find their precious pushkin on me and they will laugh, or they will cry or simply say nothing out of shock. Sometimes the humans themselves will then climb me, creating a chain of themselves through which to pass the cat down. This always amuses me. A ridiculous image indeed. All the squirrels and birds fly off and a chain of clumsy humans spread in a pattern around my lowest branches to pass a much more graceful creature than themselves to the ground, after which the cat will shy off embarrassed and the humans will attempt amusingly to coordinate the process of getting them all out of my branches one by one. A more occasional occurrence is that of the fire truck showing up to get the cat out. The cat will be in my branch or my tree house, too high for the clumsy human chain, and a large truck with a ladder will show up, and the ladder will be carefully stretched up to the cat, and a man of orange and gold will climb up the ladder and retrieve the cat who will cling to him terrified until they are back on the ground. The other humans will preen the cat, making relieved noises, and the cat will mew and bathe in their affection as the truck and the orange and gold man drives off.

This particular afternoon I am bathing in the afternoon sun, always the best time to soak in nutrients, when two men who seem familiar walk to the door of the house by which I grow. They knock on it a couple times, and the lady who lives here now alone answers. They are too far away to hear, but the lady laughs at something they say and gestures to me smiling and nodding. The two men turn towards me and walk over, patting my trunk gently. “G’day old pal” says the first one, this one is colorful. The second one, who is green, smiles and says “It’s been too long, I miss these old branches. What do ya say we take a look at how your house is holding up ay ol’ girl?” The first one grins. That's when I recognize them, they used to be little people, best friends living in adjacent houses. And they were the ones that built my house. They have become big now. How strange. My leaves rustle in response to them. I missed these two. They would water me every day. Give me hugs and bring their joy and adventure to life in my house. I loved listening to their stories, and I was confused the first time they didn’t come to see me. I thought perhaps it was a one-time thing, but the day became a week, and that became a month, my blue bird laid and raised her babies, and spring turned into winter. 

But now they're back! Perhaps they will tell me more stories? The first man heaves himself into my branches with ease. Climbing up easily and with new strength before arriving in my house. It feels happy to have them back, the wind shakes my branches with delight, and the first man pats me once more. “There ya are ma ol’ beauty”. The second man has more trouble, he is still smaller than the first man, as it has always been. He seems to struggle more getting to my house. He throws his arm and leg around my branch, heaving himself up with great effort. It takes him a long time to arrive at my house, and when he does, the first man is there laughing at him as he breathes hard. The first man holds out a bottle of water. “Here ya go ya ol’ lug.” The second man takes the water and drinks for a long time, before saying “You are an A grade prick James”. James shrugs and continues laughing. They set up a blanket and food and begin to eat. The blue bird whose babies would soon leave smells it and flutters down to the house. Hopping cautiously towards the two men. James taps the second man and points to her. “Look Ryan. It's a good ol’ bluebird. Now ain’t that a pretty sight, ain it just, Ryan?.” Ryan turns to look at my bluebird, and their admiration makes me bristle with happiness. “Should we give him some bread?” Ryan says, grabbing the bread from their pack. Her, I think to myself. She's a female. As though he could hear me, James taps Ryan and says. “Look ere’ Ryan I think itsa she. Look at ’er ol’ feathers now won’t ya, plain as paper. Ya see Ryan, only the males ’ere are at all colorful. All them girls need to do is blend in. The males are the ones who gotta impress them ladies see?” Ryan nods and says “how on earth do you know that? I bet it's your farmland upbringing. You are too smart.'' James laughs. “Na Ryan eve’body knows that. It ain’t at all to do with my countryness is it now? It's cus o’ your London fancy pants that you don’t know because...” 

“...Because all London folks are stupid” they say in unison laughing. “We didn’t have no clue you’d be up and gone to that uppity town aye though Ryan.” Their laughter makes me happy. Their distraction gives my bluebird an opportunity. She ducks forward and grabs a piece of bread, fluttering off quickly. The two turn around just in time to see her go. “Whata cheeky ol’ lass now ain’t she?” James says. “I bet she needed that more than we do though James. Besides, if she hadn't taken it we would have given it to her.” “S’pose you’re right there.”  The next few hours James and Ryan chat about all the fun they used to have, they claim numerous times that they don’t hang out enough, and they talk about their jobs. Their joy radiates throughout me and I am so happy to hear what they are up to. James is doing what he loves. He runs an equestrian center right here in Dorset, and Ryan, always the entrepreneur, has started his own animal rescue service up in London. When it is late afternoon, James says he should go. 

“What if we spent the night here like we used to?” Ryan says with a cheeky voice. James smiles devilishly. “You read my mind.” “I wonder if those supplies we hid up here are still around?” James smiles and says “You could never remember where the secret compartment was.” The two sit quietly for a moment, happily recalling the memories of Ryan's frustration. I can feel their memories as they think of them. James thought it was so funny, and Ryan would get so mad he would throw stuff. James reaches over to a loose floorboard with a compartment underneath for storage and smiles cheekily as he taps it gently. Lifting it up. Ryan smiles. “Now how do you still remember where that is after all these years?” James laughs. “Guess your memories are simple ol’ shite. Oh dibs on the green sleepin' bag” ``James says full of cheekiness. “Now that's not fair you know it is my favourite.'' James grabs the bag and dangles it out of Ryan's reach. Ryan dives for it, and the two begin to wrestle playfully like they would when they were kids. Ryan makes angry grunting noises and James laughs hard. Finally James pins Ryan to the floor, and throws the bag out of his reach. The two men are both exasperated and out of breath. Laughing and panting. James whispers beaming “I win”. Ryan rolls his eyes. 

“I know, you always win you arse. And my asthma doesn’t help,” he says, blowing on James' face to try and get him off. “In fact, can you pass my puffer?”

“Ha!'' James says'' I'm not falling for that one ya’ ol cheek.” Ryan lets his head thump on the wood in defeat then turns his head to face James. The two are quite close together and there is an unfamiliar aura in the air. Something I have never experienced before. The two of them seem all of a sudden rather tense. Ryan lowers his eyes, chuckling nervously. “Look at me,” says James. A slight quiver in his voice. James had never been the one to be nervous. This is new. Ryan looks up and their eyes lock. James lets his hand come off Ryan’s, and ever so gently he touches Ryan's cheek. “I never knew how beautiful your eyes were,” says James in the most genuine and gentle voice I have ever heard. A squirrel runs past, and the two break apart. James sitting up and chuckling nervously. Ryan pulls himself up slowly and stares at the floor like it is the most interesting thing in the world. “So, does this mean I get the green bag?” James says with halfhearted amusement. Ryan swallows. As though, out of nowhere a lump has apparated within his throat, and he must by any means necessary dispose of it. He gives a raspy chuckle and responds also with a halfhearted tease to his voice. “No fair.” The house turns quiet, and all my birds and squirrels and little critters stop for a moment as though experiencing the tension along with the two men. 

All is silent. The boys are only able to stare at the floor. For the first time, completely unsure of what to say or how to proceed. “Here,” James says, passing Ryan the green sleeping bag. Ryan takes it and clutches it to his chest. Staring into the distance with a sudden absentmindedness. “Thanks.'' The two busy themselves with shaking out any creatures and cobwebs in the sleeping bags. This upsets me somewhat, as that is these creatures' homes within me, and I feel these bugs’ distress as they are violently separated from their living area, and forced onto my bark. I send comforting waves of calm towards them to ease their distress. By the time the two are done setting up, night has fallen completely. Only the stars and the gentle crescent moon grant them light. James pulls out their old lamp from the compartment. “Just like ol’ times,” he says, the halfheartedness still stuck in his voice. Ryan tries to laugh. “We should, let's sleep now.” says Ryan. “Good plan.” 

I cannot understand why the banter has stopped. Why the two are so tense. But their tension radiates through me. Passing to all the bats taking flight for a night of hunting, all the squirrels asleep in me, even to the bluebird and her three fledglings asleep in their nest. The owl that had landed seconds before in one of my higher branches gives a hoot before taking off away from my growing tension. This saddens me further. Owls so rarely land in me, and I love their peaceful presence. They are my favourite of the night time creatures. The two boys lay still now. Staring at the ceiling. Ryan has always been scared of the dark, but James is the only person who knows of this fear. I gather the remnants of peace I have left within me from the brief encounter with the owl, and from when the two had still been happy, and send it through my branches towards them, swaying slightly to calm them down. It seems to work a bit as I feel some of their tension fade. James sits up and gets some matches out of his bag. “No one likes the dark,” he says kindly, lighting the lamp. Ryan smiles. “You remembered,” he says in a barely audible voice. “Of course I did.” James says back. His voice is filled with such genuine kindness and care for Ryan, it sends chills through my branches. The crickets had begun chirping and the ambience of my house changes from tension to peace. “Ryan,” James whispers gently. There is so much meaning and care packed simply into that one word. This makes me happy. The tension that was previously spread throughout me dissipates. Replaced by a new joy. This spreads to all my sleeping creatures. Making their slumber peaceful. The influence these boys have over my state is something else. For I care deeply for the two. Even if it had been so long since last I felt their presence. James scooches closer to Ryan, and Ryan sits up. James grabs Ryan, causing a sudden pulse of surprise within him, and he pulls Ryan into a deep embrace. Ryan returns the embrace, putting his arms around James as James' arms are around him, and they hold each other close, true and tight. And the two remain as such for a long time. They care for one another and the love and care packed into this gesture goes beyond. Ryan closes his eyes and whispers gently to James, gulping before he does. “I love you”. Tears roll down James' cheeks at this and he whispers back. “I love you.” the two stay like that for the rest of the night. Falling asleep in each other's arms. And tears of joy rolling down their cheeks. This moment of kindness, love and care travels down to my roots. It will stay with me as the first time the bluebird had chicks in my branches did.

Forever.