Some of the best times Mom and I had

as she aged were picking up our weekly groceries

curbside and having hamburgers at Burger King.

It started during Covid.

 

She uses a walker to get around now,

and getting into and out of the car

has become a fairly major ordeal.

Luckily the car is comfortable and cool.

 

They built a new emergency health clinic

right in front of where we park for the groceries,

and we normally have a 10 minute wait.

Grackels, ravens and crows fly over to the fence

 

And look at us with their strange eyes

and head tilts. I read that crows remember

faces, so maybe they are being sociable

with us, and don’t understand our rudeness.

.

Perhaps I should get out sometime

and feed them something.

I do at Burger King. Mom loves the

Bacon King sandwich with its double meat.

 

Crows are omnivores, so we can break off

bits of the hamburger meat

and throw them out the window.

Ravens will grab the meat, too, and dart away.

 

I like to share what I eat with wild life.

Mom, not so much.

She’s of the old fashioned school of thought

when it comes to wild animals and their place.

 

The burger loving crows seem very unafraid.

They fly instantly to the fence by the car

and tilt their heads as if wondering

when the inevitable snacks will start.

 

They and the ravens are pretty saucy about walking

right up to the door, like they would like

an invitation to join us in the car

for lunch. Perhaps they do recognize us.

 

It’s a time of extended drought now.

Maybe I should start carrying a little dish

for water to help the birds wash down the meat.

Seems like the responsible thing to do.