Three mornings ago I went into the kitchen to fire up the caffeine machine, poured a brew and opened the back door to ensure the gravel hadn't shifted and the weeds were still strong and healthy.
I was taken a tad off-guard to see a raven right at the door looking up at me. It made a raven sort o' sound and I was taken even further a-back. Looking down at him I enquired nervously, "Have you been a tap tapping on my door all night and did you just caw 'nevermore'?" He cawed loudly back in reply. I carefully gave him bread, gestured towards the water 'feature' accompanied by a slurping sort o' sound and cautiously closed the door with the raven on the outside side and me on the inside side.
Damned if he wasn't still there four hours later and it was then I noted he had a damaged hoof and a left wing problem which I was stupid enough to communicate to my little nest of vipers and it was then that she took over operations.
"We need help him."
"Nature will run it's course here. Or the cats will."
"Not funny. He need help now."
Damn! This is getting complicated. "Okay, let's catch him, box him and drop him off at the RSPCA."
"Wot ruspca?"
"It's not a word. It's a money machine but they should take care of our friend."
"That be good then. We do now?"
Damn! "That we do."
I phoned first and, believe it or not, they showed no interest in a big broken bird. Apparently they don't do damaged goods as they have no vet on site. But – and this surprised me – you can drop off any damaged wildlife or wild bird at any vets practice and they're duty bound to treat said wild thing. Yea, right.
Using her as bait, I was able to get behind him and get a hold without losing an eye to that evil lookin' beak. Into a box, into the car and off to the vets. No, really, we did!
Having a rough idea what a vet would do with a non-fee paying raven verses injecting cats and dogs at great profit, I left her in the car and delivered the guy to the reception area, gave my thanks and left right quick.
"Wot they say? They mend him?"
I decided I had two ways to answer; the real world or a quiet world. I chose the latter.
"The vet said he was fine. They put him in a full-body bandage, put him on antibiotics and a vitamin rich diet and reckon his wing and foot will be good to go in a little over a week."
"Then we come take him back?"
"Are you nuts?" I thought to myself. "No, there's a really big happy field out back with trees and a little stream running through and they'll let him go there."
"Wow! I can go look at field?"
"Errr, no. No. Everyone's busy taking care of him right now."
"Oh." She said, a little despondently.
"Oh boy." I said, yet again to me alone.
Note; it was probably a crow but that doesn't sound as dramatic and would mean I couldn't bring Edgar Allan Poe into the proceedings.
Well, must end now as i can barely type straight with the mounting excitement as we approach the Eurovision Song Contest. I'm kidding, right? Lord, I hope so.
Quote; David Letterman.
"Fall is my favourite season in Los Angeles, watching the birds change colour and fall from the trees."
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