TWO MOURNING DOVES

“Nobody's out there.” I sighed as I looked out the window of our back door.

Alex was in the kitchen with me making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. “Isn't that good?” he asked as he tossed the peanut butter knife in the sink and picked up his jelly knife. “Would you really like to see somebody in our back yard?”

“What?” I looked over at him then realized what I'd just said. “I wasn't talking about people. I was talking about the birds.” I looked back out at our woods. “I haven't seen a bird out there for days.”

“Isn't that a good thing for you?” he finished making his sandwich and leaned back against the counter and took a bite.

Now I was confused. “I love seeing the birds.”

“That's not what you told me on our last walk.” Alex reminded me.

It took me a second to remember that I'd told him my first nightmare as a child was after I'd seen the Alfred Hitchcock film called The Birds. “I'm only afraid of dozens of crows sitting in trees or on telephone wires staring at me while secretly plotting against me.”

Alex laughed. “Oh, that makes sense.”

“Hey, don't laugh.” I cried. “Crows are very smart birds. They can remember faces and if you do something against them they've been known to attack!”

Alex looked confused. “What have you ever done to a crow that would make them want to attack you?”

“Nothing!” I shook my head. “That's not the point. The school children in the movie didn't do anything either but that didn't stop them from being attacked as they ran down the road looking for safety!” I shuddered just thinking about that scene again. “But crows weren't what I was talking about.” I looked out the glass door again and pointed to my feeders. “I filled them hours ago and no one's come to visit.”

Alex looked outside. “How long were they empty before you filled them?”

I shrugged my shoulders. “I'm not sure. I was so busy getting ready for Thanksgiving and then putting up all the Christmas decorations that it completely slipped my mind.” I looked over at him feeling a little ashamed. “It could have been a week or more.”

“Well, you just answered your own question!” He said as he popped the last bite of sandwich in his mouth. “They're mad at you and they're boycotting our yard.”

I sighed as I looked over at him. “That's not true.”

“Hey!” He shook his head. “You're the one who just said birds can recognize faces and can hold a grudge!”

“I said crows can do that.” I laughed. “I'm pretty sure a black-capped chickadee just wants to eat.”

“You don't know that for sure.” He kissed the top of my head as he walked out of the kitchen. “They could be in a whole other neighborhood, right this minute, asking each other what they did wrong to make you stop feeding them.”

“Oh, come on!” I cried as he went down the hall. “Now you're just trying to make me feel guilty!” I called after him. I turned and looked back outside scanning the woods for any sign of a bird when a set of mourning doves landed under my feeder and began pecking at the ground. “Hey Alex!” I called. “It's going to be okay! A set of mourning doves just landed!”

“That's great!” he called back. “I was really starting to get worried.”

I smiled. I knew sarcasm when I heard it but I didn't care as I looked back at the mourning doves pecking at the ground. “I'm just glad you guys are back.” I whispered to them.

RUSHING VS. ENJOYING

It was Thanksgiving morning and while the turkey was in the oven and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was on the television my son Alex walked into the living room. “Happy Thanksgiving.” he said as he leaned over the couch to kiss the top of my head. “It smells really good in here already!”

“Thanks.” I took a sip of my tea. “I'm just taking a little break before I start peeling the turnip and potatoes.”

Alex went into the kitchen to make a cup of coffee. “What time do you think we're going to be eating?” he called out to me.

“I'm thinking around 4 o'clock. Does that sound good to you?”

“Sure.” he came in and sat down next to me on the couch. “You sure love watching this parade every year.”

“I really do.” I looked over and smiled at him. “I don't know what it is about it, but I love it! When you see Santa at the end it really gets you in the Christmas spirit!”

Alex just laughed. “Whatever you say.”

“Hey,” I grabbed the remote to pause the show. “I was wondering if you could help me bring down the Christmas decorations from the attic when you're finished with your coffee?”

Alex looked confused. “But it's Thanksgiving. Don't we at least wait until the weekend after to get them down?”

“Usually, but this year's different.” I looked over at the dining room table that was already set for dinner. “Usually we have company for Thanksgiving but this year's it's only us.”

Alex smiled. “I know! Thanksgiving in sweat pants! I love it!”

I had to laugh. “Yeah, I'm kind of looking forward to it too! But we're having guests over tomorrow and I'd really like to have the house decorated for them.”

Alex shrugged his shoulders. “Sounds like a lot of work to me.”

“It is. But once it's done the house looks so pretty!” I tried to sound convincing.

Alex shook his head. “Sure. Why not?”

“Great! Thank you!” I turned the parade back on just in time to see one of my favorite balloons floating down the street. “I used to feel so much more connected to New York when your Aunt Lizzy lived there.” I sighed. “I'd watch the snippets they'd show of the Broadway shows that year and maybe see one with her.” I sighed again. “But then she moved to North Carolina.”

“Wait.” Alex looked over at me. “What's happening here? Two seconds ago you were so happy?”

“I know.” I sighed. “It's this time of year. One minute you're super excited about the holiday and the next you're remembering something that's not a part of you're holidays anymore.” I shrugged my shoulders. “It happens as you get older.”

Alex shook his head. “All right. Well, let's get you happy again.” He put his cup on the coffee table. “Let's start getting the decorations down.”

“Oh really!” I got up from the couch leaving the television on so we could still hear the parade as I went to pull down the attic stairs. “This is going to be so much fun!” Climbing up the stairs I began pulling the containers that I wanted to hand down to him.

Several minutes later I was handing the last container down when my husband Steven came into the hall. “What are you doing?”

“Getting the Christmas decorations down.” I said. “I want to start decorating right after dinner!”

Steven looked confused. “Aren't you rushing the season just a little?”

Alex shrugged his shoulders. “Don't ask me.”

That's when I could hear the parade was coming to an end.

“HERE COMES SANTA!” the host of the parade announced. “THE HOLIDAY SEASON HAS OFFICIALLY STARTED!”

I looked at the two of them as I pushed the last container over to the side in the living room. “I think you both just got your answer.”

TASTY TURKEY

It was dusk and my son Alex and I were hoping to get a walk in before the sun went down. “I really hate that the sun sets so early now.” I complained as I pulled the strings of my sweatshirt hood tighter to cover my ears.

“Remember just a few weeks ago we were talking about how all the trees still had their leaves and how late fall was?” Alex locked the front door and we headed down the driveway.

“Yeah.” I sighed as I pointed to the piles of leaves on the ground. “Look what a few windy days will do.” We were both watching where we were stepping afraid of what could be under the leaves. “You know it just takes that one person who doesn't want to clean up after their dog to ruin a good walk.” I reminded him.

We were halfway through our walk and were rounding a bend when I stopped and pointed “Wow! They got really big!” I cried.

It was our neighborhoods flock of turkeys. We'd been watching the hen and her five chicks since they were born in the beginning of the summer, but now you couldn't tell which was which because they were all the same size. “We haven't seen them in weeks! I thought they'd gone into hiding!” We stopped to watch them as they began moving closer to us.

“Why did you think they were hiding?” Alex said as we moved back a little to give them some space.

I shrugged my shoulders. “Well, when we saw them before we'd say how cute they were. Now when I see them, so close to Thanksgiving, I just think 'Yum'.”

Alex looked over at me and began to laugh. “Did you actually just say when you see them you thought 'Yum'?”

“Yeah.” I sighed. “It really was the first thing that popped into my head.” I felt a little ashamed of myself and thought I should explain. “It's just that we never have turkey except on Thanksgiving and I'm really looking forward to it.”

Alex looked over at the turkeys busy eating whatever it is that turkeys eat. “Wow! That never would have crossed my mind.” he said as he shook his head.

“That's because you don't like turkey.” I said as we watched the turkeys get in a line and follow one another across the street to another neighbors front yard.

“No...” Alex said slowly. “I like steak and I like hamburger but I've never driven by a cow and thought 'Yum'.”

“Okay! Fine!” I sighed again as we began walking. “Let's just agree that our minds work differently from one another.”

“Oh, I'll agree to that.” Alex laughed as he looked back over at the flock of turkeys. “But I'm never going to be able to see them again without thinking 'Yum'!”

RUTTING SEASON

I'd just gotten back from a girl's weekend trip and was dragging my suitcase up the front walk when my husband Steven opened the front door. “How was your trip?”

“Loved it!” He took my suitcase from me while I tossed my pocketbook on a chair in the living room. “We did a little shopping and went to the movies but we spent most of our time drinking wine and talking!” I smiled as I took off my jacket. “So to answer your question, it was perfect.”

Steven laughed. “I'm glad you had a good time.”

I followed him into the kitchen to put the kettle on for a cup of tea. “But I did have a scary ride home.”

Steven looked concerned. “What happened?”

“Well, I was driving up the parkway, loving how beautiful the fall trees were looking and how the sky was so clear and the sun was shining so brightly when all of a sudden a huge flashing sign said, 'October-November, PEAK SEASON, Dusk-Dawn' with a picture of a jumping deer!”

“It's their rutting season.” Steven looked confused. “You know that.”

“I know but I can't remember seeing those signs before.” I grabbed a cup out of the cabinet and placed my teabag in it. “It completely ruined the rest of my drive!”

“The parkway warning you about deer ruined your drive?” Steven looked confused.

“Yes!” I leaned back against the counter top. “The only thing that sign did was terrify me my whole ride home.” I shook my head. “Now I'm not seeing the beautiful trees anymore, instead I'm looking in the woods trying to guess when a crazy deer is going to come flying out at me!”

“But that's a good thing.” Steven still looked confused.

“No it's not!” I turned the kettle off and poured the water into my cup. “Even if I see a deer coming I'm going 80 miles an hour, how am I suppose to avoid a deer?”

I turned around to face Steven and could see he didn't look very happy. “You're going 80 miles an hour on the parkway?” he asked.

“Oh, come on! I'm just keeping up with the rest of the cars.” I sighed. “But that's not the point.” I pulled my teabag out of my cup and threw it in the trash. “The only thing that sign said to me was, Good luck on your ride home. May you lose the lottery of a deer crashing into you!”

Steven just laughed. “That's all you got from the warning?”

“Yes!” I took a sip of my tea. “It's bad enough I have to look out for crazy drivers now they want me to scan the woods for deer! How am I suppose to enjoy a drive on a beautiful fall day when I'm constantly being reminded that there are crazy deer everywhere?”

“I'm sorry your drive home was ruined.” Steven just shook his head and stifled a laugh.

“Thank you.” I took another sip of tea. “Now I think I'm going to sit on the back deck and enjoy the colors of the trees from the safety of my rocking chair.” I went to the back door but before I opened it I looked back at Steven. “Do you want to join me? It's beautiful out.”

Steven shook his head. “I think maybe you could use the time alone to unwind.”

I shrugged my shoulders. “Maybe you're right.” I opened the back door then started to laugh. “Unless you're going to tell me I have to watch out for the crazy deer stampeding out of our woods and ending up on our deck.”

“No, but I will tell you to come back inside if you see them too close to the house.”

I turned around to see if he was kidding.

“Hey,” Steven shrugged his shoulders. “Better to be safe then sorry. They do get a little crazy this time of year.”

“What ever happened to the good old days when you rarely saw a deer but when you did you thought they were cute?”

Steven just shrugged his shoulder again.

“I miss those days.” I sighed as I went outside.

HALLOWEEN HAPPINESS

“I found him!” I cried as I closed the front door and put the candy dish back on the foyer table. “I actually found him!”

“Who?” Steven asked as he came from the kitchen.

“The English Bobby!” I couldn't help but smile. “I can't believe I finally found him!”

Steven started to laugh. “That's been bothering you for years.”

“I know!” I sat down on the couch enjoying the few minutes I'd have before the doorbell rang again.

Alex came into the room taking a quick peep at the candy bowl. “Have you gotten a lot of trick-or-treaters so far?” He reached in and grabbed a Reese's peanut butter cup.

“I found the English Bobby!” I cried.

Alex looked confused as he unwrapped the candy. “I vaguely remember something about an English Bobby but I forget what happened.” He popped the candy in his mouth.

“I could never forget.” I shook my head sadly. “He's haunted me for three years.” I sighed as I thought back on that horrible Halloween. “Now in my defense, I'd had a long day at work that day.”

Steven laughed. “Every time you tell this story you always start out that way.”

“Well, I have to have some excuse.” I sighed.

“So what happened?” Alex asked as the doorbell rang again.

“Could you get this one?”

Alex sighed as he went and got the bowl. “Sure.”

When he came back from handing out the treats I continued with my story. “It happened to be a year of really rude kids.” I said.

“Or you were just tired.” Steven reminded me.

“Okay, fine. Maybe I was cranky that year.” I sighed again as I looked over at Alex. “Anyway, I'd been answering the door for an hour or so watching kids pushing and shoving each other and grabbing candy out of the bowl like the 'crane game' at the boardwalk! No matter how many times I said just take one they wouldn't listen!”

But then this one little boy came up to the door with his mom. He was dressed as an English Bobby. The costume looked homemade and it was beautiful.” I looked over at Steven who was nodding because I'd told him this story dozens of times. “Anyway, he reached into the bowl and had grabbed a few candies and I said, 'Take one' and right away he dropped the candy back in the bowl and began saying how sorry he was and backed off our front porch. That's when I realized he had special needs and I'd completely rattled him.” I felt like I could have cried again. “No matter how many times I told him it was okay and held the bowl out to him he just backed away.” I sighed. “I felt like I'd ruined his whole Halloween. I've been carrying around the guilt ever since.”

Alex just shook his head. “This was three years ago?”

“Yup, and every Halloween I'd hope I'd see him again. But I never did until this year!” I had to smile.

“How'd you know it was him?” Steven asked.

“He was dressed as a hamburger. He's taller and I didn't realized he had curly hair because he'd been wearing the bobby helmet when we first met, but it was the way he spoke to me that I just knew!” I smiled at Alex. “So I asked him if he'd ever been and English Bobby before. His Mom was standing in the driveway and she was the one who said he'd been one three years ago.”

“Wow! What are the odds that you'd see him again.” Alex just shook his head.

“So what did you say to the Mom?” Steven asked.

“I told her exactly what had happened and how sorry I was. Then I took a fistful of candy and put it in his bag and told him how much I'd loved his costume then and how much I loved his costume now.” That's when the doorbell rang again and I got up to go get the candy bowl but before I went to the door I looked at Steven and Alex. “Have I mentioned that this is the best Halloween ever?”

They both just laughed. “We're glad you're having a good time.” Steven called.