Musings
an Online Journal of Sorts

By Alyce Wilson

I was in the produce section of the local grocery store when I heard a beautiful sound lofting from the kiwis. It was a bird chirping.

At first I thought that perhaps they'd begun selling caged birds amongst the guavas and the grapefruit.

But a quick look around revealed no cages. Then I looked up, and there on the windowsill, above the red peppers, was a tiny brown bird. It cocked its head and looked at me and then flew off into the store.

The most amazing thing was that nobody else seemed the slightest bit interested but kept filling their carts with potato flakes, cans of creamed corn and bananas.

I tracked the bird into the store, feeling the way a cat must feel. The wonder of this little brown bird flying above the crowded grocery shelves. It was a surreal sight.

I picked up my purchases: some lowfat tofu, some bananas, some tea, and some fruit soy drink. As I shopped, I kept an eye out for the bird. He had settled on one of the signs, suspended from the ceiling, and from the white blotches spotting it, I could tell he'd been hanging around awhile.

While checking out, I asked the cashier if he knew there was a bird trapped in the store. "Yes," he said.

"How long has it been here?" I asked.

"I don't know." He seemed uninterested in discussing it further.

So I went to the information desk and repeated my question. This time, I was told that a professional had been called to capture the bird and release it.

"Until then, they're having the time of their lives," she said. Were there two birds? Three?

I wondered what it must be like for a bird to swoop through a moving door into a spacious, warm land of bright colors and plentiful food. If the birds stayed in there, they might feast at night on the olives at the deli section or gorge on the fruit or peck into a box full of grains.

They could build a nest from carrot tops, and raise a nest of young, wise in the way of groceries.

Of course, while one bird (or two) in the grocery store seems a miracle, a flock of birds would be a nuisance. They would fly through the aisles at will, swooping down and stealing cherries from befuddled shoppers. They'd decorate the aisles with their whitewash, died pink or purple or red from their fruit binges.

If such a thing happened, would that be enough for shoppers to look up, as one (or two) birds were not? Or would they simply complain?

"I never go to Acme any more; they have a flock of birds in there. Last time I went in, one of them pooped on my pork roast!"

"I know. I was in there last week and they flew off with my Sunday hat. I caught them later, making a nest out of it!"

"Someone should do something."

"I know, I know. It's the stupidest marketing ploy I ever heard of."

"If I wanted to see birds, I'd go to the zoo."

"Yes, yes. That's why I go to the Giant, instead."

"Yes, but that one has the herd of sheep..."

Moral:
Birds of a feather are in aisle three.

Copyright 2003 by Alyce Wilson

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