The feathered family

Though  I  had tried hard to get a two room quarters when I was staying with my wife, I was allotted the apartment only after she went back to Kerala for birthgiving. I stayed alone in the apparently large room and my solitude made it look larger. I had kept an air-cooler by the side of the window. I didn’t make it operational as it was winter. One day I noticed a pigeon bringing sticks and dry leaf and preparing a nest in the gap between the window shield and the air cooler. This made me happy as I loved some sort of company in this monotony and it actually reminded me of  my wife preparing for her delivery. Within days the nest was ready and the pigeon had laid two eggs. I was initially reluctant to approach the nest as I feared that the bird would get frightened and abandon her eggs. One day I heard a commotion near the cooler. As I looked I saw the bird fighting with two squirrels who had come to snatch the eggs, seeing me the wild creatures retreated , but they had succeeded in breaking the eggs, I could not understand why this herbivorous squirrel wanted  those eggs. Had they changed into eggitarians or did they have some long forgotten revenge with the pigeon family. Anyway the seemingly cute and harmless creature had become a devilish wild beast for me. I felt sorry for the pigeons and joined them in their mourning.

After a week or so, I received news from my beloved that our baby’s life was abnormal and the gynecologist wanted to perform a version procedure to correct it. Knowing that it was a risky though  it was an essential  procedure, my mind was in turmoil. However, by God’s grace on the day of the procedure my wife called and gave me the good news that our baby had spontaneously changed to normal position. I thanked God and looked at my feathered friends, who were busy preparing for their offspring.

By the time I was leaving for home to be with my better half to join  her when our much expected child comes to this world, the pigeon had laid two eggs and were also expecting their little ones . I was worried about their safety  from the squirrels in my absence. But all I could do was to pray to God to protect them as he protected mine. When I returned, leaving my heart and apple of my eye back home, I was received by two beautiful chicks chirping under the wings of their mother. Their heads and bodies were naked  and  featherless. Even though their constant cries disturbed my scanty sleep, I loved their presence as it reminded  me of my  family. I would sometimes peep into its nest to see how much they had grown. I could even count their tiny feathers.

Time passed and the clumsy winter gave way for the scorching summer. I had promised my wife that I would come to take them once the winter faded. I looked at the chicks who then had  sound wings. It was just a matter of days before they would fly off into the endless horizon. I thought I could replace the nest as  so that the birds would build it somewhere else, as I wanted to operate my air cooler to escape from the heat. The sun had already started peeping  through my windows. After  a few  days when  I looked into the nest, I discovered that the mother had already laid its next egg although a singlet. Despite that  my first reflex was to throw away the nest of the irresponsible bird not heeding to proper family planning, the thoughts of my family prevented me from the vicious  act. After all, the  larger the family, the happier it is .

I brought my wife and four month old child to the city beautiful. The summer was furious like a frying pan at Chandigarh. The chick had by then  feathers, but was not yet ready to fly. Even though it was hot, I decided to give the chick a couple of days so that the chick could at least escape from predators. However I told my wife to ensure  that the mother bird does not lay anymore eggs. Each day we eagerly waved off the mother bird and waited for the chick to fly off. But the birds  cheated us once again  and  in spite of our valiant efforts it managed to lay its egg. But this time I had to do it. I moved the nest with the egg in it to another position. I know this would frighten off the birds, but I could not wait for another generation in this heat. It may be protecting its offspring, but so am I.

By the eldest son