The Birds

By special request I have been asked to retell the story of The Birds. This is a true story. Only my name has been changed ... OK back to the story.

Where I work there used to be a hedge along the front of the parking area. There were birds that had nests in the hedge (I think people said they were shrikes). As we would come and go between our cars and the building these birds would swoop and dive at our heads with a loud shrieking sound. One day as I was coming out from the office going along the sidewalk to my car I could see a group of these birds circling in formation and starting to swoop down closer to me. I started to walk faster and faster with my briefcase in one hand and my oxygen tank in the other hand. Just as they were coming down above my head, I was nearing my car and trying to hurry to open the door and get in. In my rush I got the oxygen hose tangled around my leg as I tried to get into the car, and then couldn't get my leg in to close the door. I finally got myself untangled and closed the door as the birds hovered and shrieked outside the window.

These birds are history now since the hedge was removed a number of years ago. But the story is one that my family and some of their friends seemed to find quite amusing.