#1 Drunk, Drum and Noisy Bird

The bird perched in the tree.  Great Blue Heron with a s-shaped neck, sleek feathers, arched beak, long and slender legs. Graceful and dignified. The Wakodahatchee Wetlands sanctuary was alive in winter as we slowly paced the boardwalk with binoculars in hand. The wind lightly moved our hair in the sunlight which looked clumsy in comparison to the motion of the White Ibis feathers surrounding us. The remarkable descendants of dinosaurs are migrating to build their nests from branches of dying trees. The branches are brittle and long and to see a Green Heron carry its bedding across the lake on such a focused mission is admirable.

Turtles float beneath the dark water finding their way in the bright algae. They have been there for a million years and aren’t leaving. Common Moorhen float along searching for food.

Jo picks up her binoculars and squints her eyes. They are clear and excited as she calls us over to focus in on the crocodile sunbathing across the marsh. Its sharp jagged teeth protruding from a smirk stretching from one side of his head to the other. An impossibly huge mouth.

An Anhinga screeches and we all look up. Jo lights up when she sees it. Its huge wingspan is as special in that moment as the first time Jo saw one for the first time 50 years ago. We all love the Anhinga and will forever. The Anhinga can thank Jo for this. The light glows against its dark wings animating it more than seems possible.

Its feathers absorb the energy and propel it through the air in slow motion.

We follow Jo and Hank in their Lincoln Continental to the Chinese restaurant where we always dine after bird watching. Crunching the crispy noodles and duck sauce (not made from ducks) and looking at the lunch specials.  We order a few cans of Diet Coke for the table and Nell scrunches up the paper straw wrapper and drops soda on it and we watch it expand and crawl. The Coke is a treat and I know an extra level of hyperactivity awaits us after it is drunk.

Four old people, 2 middle aged people and one child sit and wait for the food to be served. The restaurant is painted a jade color and the fish tank filled with large orange and white Lionhead goldfish is sitting in the front.  Their fleshy brainy heads look as if their vision is obstructed.

The food is served and we eat.

Everyone says goodbye in the parking lot and I wonder if we will see Jo and Hank next year. They are pushing 90.

When we return to the apartment I head to the gym and get on the treadmill. I pick up the remote and search for a reality TV show about real estate or fixing up houses. I start to jog. The steady beat of my feet increases as I set the pace a little faster. 5.5. 5.8. 6.0. The sound is steady and the mechanical whine of the treadmill along with the beat of my feet are not a pleasant or soothing sound. Not a nice drum beat to work along to, but a strain. It is noisy so I increase the volume on the TV careful not to lose my balance.