Laowai

For the second time in the last couple months I was attacked by a bird while walking down by the water. I think it was a Red-Wing Black Bird. I could see my shadow with the bird hovering above my head. It’s amazing how the instinct to run wildly while flailing my arms kicks in. Today I even let out a little yelp. After I was through the danger I immediately looked around to see if anyone was around to see me behaving so stupidly. Why does my heart end up pounding after an encounter with a little thing that I’m sure I could smack right out of the air?

It reminds me of the time we were on vacation in British Columbia with my mom. Brian and I encountered a little gang of mountain sheep. Mountain sheep look like goats and moutain goats look like sheep – just to give you a better picture of what we were up against. We came upon them in this park that was totally overrun with them – they were everywhare – like squirrels in Ann Arbor. We met up with them on a trail. It was very reminiscent of that West Side Story scene where the gangs meet up. The lead one, with horns, let out his billy goat bleet. Brian and I ended up fleeing down a little sandy cliff. I think my mom cooly let them pass on their way, but we were frightened out of our wits by this little band of goats.