(From inside a bluebird house)
“What’s it look like out there?”
“I don’t know, Mom said stay low, till she gets back.”
“What’s taking her so long? I’m starving.”
“Wait. Here comes Dad and he’s got a mouth full of meal worms. Glad we live in the Brewer’s back yard. That guy must own a meal worm factory.”
Gobble, gobble, gulp, gulp.
“Wait Dad, Billy in the back didn’t get any.”
“Okay, here comes Mom. Now Billy, will get some.”
Gobble, gobble, gulp, gulp.
A few days pass, and suddenly there are no insect deliveries.
“What’s going on out there?”
“Where’s Mom? Where’s Dad?”
“I hear them in that tree over there, but I want food and they’re not bringing any. They’re just chirping.”
“I can’t see anything from back here in the nest. Peek through the hole and see if they are coming or not?”
“I don’t think so. I think they want me to jump out of this small hole and land on the ground. Are they nuts? I’m staying.”
“Jump, dammit. We’re getting hungrier by the minute.”
“Do you suppose if I jump, they will feed me?”
“Maybe, give it a try, otherwise we’ll all starve.”
“Okay, here goes nothing. I’m outta’ here. But look, my arms are flapping. I’m flying. Sort of.”
“Damn, Billy’s gone. Now, it’s my turn, but I ain’t going.
Wait, don’t shove me. Wow, look Mom, I’m flying, too, sort of.”
One by one the four baby bluebirds exit the small wooden house on the fence. They fly to a nearby tree, and then another, and another, and the insect meals return.
Soon, they will be expected to catch their own meals and another brood of bluebirds will peek through the small hole. But for now, “Look Mom, I can fly.”