Conversation With a Robin

My husband and I were on our way to Astoria. We found a park along the road, and stopped to look at a giant rusty train engine. I was fascinated.
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Then I heard the cheery chirrup of a fat robin hopping across the grass toward me. Of course I answered back. Surprised, the little bird stopped. He looked looked left, then right. I could hear his thoughts. "Who said that!?"

I whistled again. He hopped nearer for a closer look, glimpsed the human and halted with a flip of his tail feathers. "Wait a minute! That's not a bird!" To his obvious astonishment, I whistled once more. He chirped a soft reply. "Who IS that?"

And I answered. He seemed to realize then, it was truly I who was talking to him. He looked me up and down. "Good grief! It IS a HUMAN!"

He hopped a few more steps closer, shook his feathery head, and stared at my feet in shock. "No feathers, and those feet! I can't believe it!"

But then to make sure, he quickly checked behind him. "Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe there IS another bird behind me!"

I whistled again. He ran a few paces nearer and came to a sudden decision. "Nope, it IS that human standing there grinning at me."

He gazed up at me and whistled just to make sure. When I answered, his expressive little face said it all. "Well I'll be a Robin's egg!"

He hopped a foot or two more, and just before he flew away, he paused to take another startled glance.

I leaned against the rusty old train and laughed with that abandoned joy which comes with the truly hilarious.