The Bird, The Cat, and The Worm By BlindEagle blindeagle@codeysworld.com Copyright © 2008 by BlindEagle. All rights reserved. The Bird, The Cat, and The Worm Listen to Audio

In a wayward garden dwelled a bird, a cat, and a worm. Each lived their days doing what it took to survive to the next.

The bird, a wise and plump one was he, took under his wing a young chick to teach the ways and survival skills of their species. Watching from high up on the branch of a poplar tree, the wise old bird could see danger from far and from near. Down on the ground, the brave young and cocky chick, was diligently seeking out a worm, who, when emerging from his hole in the ground and spotting the young chicky, dashed back into the ground for cover. Determined to show his wise old mentor that he was a big chick, the “young bird” patrolled around and around the worm, awaiting the catch of his young life.

Just beyond the sight of the young chick, laying low, was a big orange cat admiring the young chick with a goal fixed on waiting and conquering; unaware of the wise old bird’s clear line of sight.

The wise old bird remembered the days of his youth and the skills of survival that were taught to him. Being brought up in an area where survival was a step before daily nourishment, he learned that respecting those around him and learning who was on his side would keep him alive to enjoy many days of nourishment and the adventures of bird life. As a young bird, he found himself in a few tough and tight fear and flight moments that left a few feathers to the wind.

There was the time he was 13 in bird years, when he was just allowed to explore the area of the park where his family nested, when he spotted three tiny kitties rolling around in the grass under a tree. Curious as a teenage bird can be, he flew in closer for a better view of these furry little creatures. Landing on the ground was not allowed unless you had a spotter, whose job was to scan the area for possible danger, while the other birds sought out nourishment for themselves and the spotter. Fascinated by the kitten’s playful adolescent behavior, he moved in closer.

As he was about to make himself known to his fascination, off to the left a worm was also observing the activities of the young kittens, when he saw the teen bird slowly approaching them. Living in the park for a very long time, the worm saw danger in many forms, even to those giant earth walkers, both their young and old alike, he witnessed being attacked or —

Fixing his focus on the clear and present danger, the worm quickly jumped into action and wiggled as fast as he could out of his hole in the ground, in just enough time to catch the eye of the young, curious bird. Fun is fun and curiosity is curiosity, but when the stomach of a teen growls with hunger, everything else is put on hold. Changing his direction towards the worm was what the wise old worm wanted. Unknown to this young teen bird, was that the diversion set up by the worm just saved him from becoming the mother cat’s first lesson of survival to her young litter.

Dashing for the worm at the exact time the mother cat leaped towards the young bird not only saved him from becoming instant kitty nourishment, but allowed him just enough time to take flight, less a few young and tender feathers, which slowly drifted to the ground as a reminder of what could have been, for both victims to be and the predator, as the wise old worm descended into another of his many cover holes.

Watching nearby the big orange cat was preparing himself for an early afternoon chicky snack. Being the bully of this wayward garden, he had gained a level of respect from those lesser and smaller residents; however he,  being one of the oldest occupying the garden, still took cover from those barking menaces who had nothing better to do then play the invade and chase game with him. But for now he had more important things to consider, like widening his now overloaded belly with another innocent victim; completely forgetting how he first came to live in the garden after almost starving from lack of nourishment for days, until a young earth walker found him curled up like a ball of orange fur and bones.

Like young earth walkers are, it fed the young near-death kitty back to life; then after a while, no longer came to the garden. Watching in anticipation of what was soon to be, the big orange cat measured out the distance, so as not to overexert any unnecessary energy, as the young chicky anticipated the same concerning the worm.

The earthworm, the smallest and more vulnerable of the three, was no pushover by any means. He knew the grounds of the garden well, especially around the area of the garden. Atop the poplar tree, perched on a long branch the wise old bird watched, as the cat positioned himself for a quick, mad-dash snack, as the worm emerged from another hole in the ground.

Zeroing in on the emerging worm, the old bird, without a thought, dove directly over the big cat and landed on the ground near the worm. Quickly diverting his attention to the long-time admired old bird, the cat now set his heart and mind for the nourishment of his life. Repositioning himself, the cat, in fever with greed and longing, leaped with everything he had towards the wise old bird, just as the menacing barking came ripping through the air towards the big orange cat.

Taking flight with the young chicky behind him, the wise old bird, along with his old friend the worm, returned to their place of peace and rest in the neglected garden in the old earth walker’s park.