A Crow Story

HELLO MARSTON

TIMEWISE, LATE MAY, EARLY JUNE THIS CHAPTER BEGAN AROUND WHEN THE
SPRIGGS MOVED INTO DODGE (THE PARK) (1956-57). SINCE MARSTON HAD SENIORITY, USUALLY WHAT HE DECIDED WE FOLLOWED. CROW HAD FLIP-FLOPPED AROUND IN HIS DREAMS, PLUS GEORGE VINE'S PET CROW, AND OTHERS PREVIOUSLY, HAD LIVED THE CROW EXPERIENCE.

OUR MISSION, ELTON, STEVIE AND I, ALONG WITH MARSTON WAS TO LOCATE A CROWS NEST. THESE THINGS DO GROW ON TREES BUT ALMOST IN THE STRATOSPHERE. A FEW DAYS LATER ONE WAS LOCATED, ON THE WAY TO CADDY, THE OLD 16TH HOLE HAD WHAT WE THOUGHT WE DESIRED ALTITUDE WISE 50 OR SO FEET UP. WE LOOKED AT OUR GLORIOUS LEADER TO SEE WHO WAS GOING UP THE TREE.

NOT ME, TOO FAT. STEVIE, MAYBE, HE WAS HALF SNAKE, BUT NO, MARSTON ASSUMED COMMAND BY MAKING MONKEY AND CHIMP NOISES, RUNNING AROUND CROUCHED OVER, LETTING HIS KNUCKLES DRAG ALONG THE GROUND. THIS PSYCHING UP CONTINUED UNTIL ALL OF A SUDDEN UP HE WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE ADOPTION CENTER (CROW NEST). THREE VOLUNTEERS WERE QUICKLY CHOSEN. THREE WERE LEFT BEHIND.

COMING DOWN WAS WORSE THAN GOING UP WITH THIS DELICATE CARGO. HALF WAY
DOWN AND OUT OF BRANCHES OUR NEW PETS WERE TOSSED DOWN TO OUR UPRAISED
HANDS.OUR NEW PETS, MINE WAS ALREADY NAMED( MIDNIGHT) HAD SOME FEATHERS BUT HADN'T COMPLETED FLIGHT SCHOOL, SO LANDED VERY UNGRACEFULLY.
WE WERE WINNERS, HAPPY AS ALL GET OUT, ABOUT THE FOURTEENTH HOLE, OUR
SHORTCUT PATH TO OUR PLACES, REALITY SET IN. WE HAD THESE THINGS
(CROWS) LOOKING AT US, MOUTHES AGAPE, ALSO WHERE TO KEEP THEM. NORTH'S HAD A SIDE BY EACH RABBIT CAGE WHICH WAS VACANT AND FILLED THE BILL PERFECTLY FOR NOW. IT WAS GETTING VERY NOISY AS THE CROWS NEEDED FOOD. WE FOUND OUT FAST WHAT WAS EATEN.

ANYTHING HIGH IN PROTEIN, MINCEMEAT, EGGS & OATMEAL OR CORNMEAL ALL MIXED UP. (YUM-YUM)
OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS THE CROWS APPETITES INCREASED TO BECOMING
BOTTOMLESS PITS. AS YOU APPROACHED THEIR CAGE EVEN BEFORE THEY SPOTTED
YOU, JUST A CLINK OF THE SPOON( BIG ONES, TEASPOONS TOO SMALL) ON THE BOWL, DROVE THEM INTO A FRENZY, THE NOISE WAS THE SAME AS CHOWDOWN TIME IN A PIGGERY. YOU SHOVELLED FURIOUSLY KEEPING DANGLING FINGERS IN TIGHT. THEY WERE SORT OF LIKE A SNOWBLOWER
AS FAST AS IT WENT IN, WATCHOUT. A FEW TIMES WE RAN LOW ON FEEDSTUFF
SO WE WOULD GO COLLECT TADPOLES AND POLLYWOGS TO SUPPLEMENT THE CROWS DIET(IS THAT A FORM OF SUSHI?) THESE THINGS WERE THRIVING AND GROWING LIKE WEEDS.
SCHOOL WAS OUT, SO THERE WAS MORE TIME TO WATCH OUR NEW PETS, SUCH AS GET OUT OF THE CAGE (THE CROWS) TO FLAP & PRACTICE FLYING. WE WERE ALSO WARY THAT THE CATS OR A DOG WOULD HARM THEM.

NOT TO WORRY, IT TOOK MAYBE 2 DAYS OF FLIGHT SCHOOL TO BECOME FAIRLY
PROFICIENT.EACH DAY WITH FLYING UNDER THEIR BELT, PERFORMANCES, ANTICS,
ACROBATICS, AND HEAVY TORMENT BEGAN. WHEN THESE THINGS CAME SWOOPING OUT OF THE TREES OR ROOF TOPS TO LAND, ANY DOG OR CAT WAS THEIR TARGET OF CHOICE TO NIP OR PINCH. I PUT FRICTION TAPE ON MY HANDLE BARS AND IT SEEMED TO LIKE RIDING AROUND. THEY ALSO DID COLLECT SHINY ODDS AND ENDS WHICH THEY STUFFED INTO BRICKS WITH HOLES. OURS WENT WILD I HOPE. I SPOTTED ONE ON DEVONSHIRE ROAD NEAR TAPP'S, BUT IT WAS ALREADY ROAD PIZZA, I COULDN'T TELL WHOSE OR IF
IT WAS OURS, SO MUCH FOR THE CROWS FOR NOW.

RICHARD........................

Thanks Richard
Those were the days. No money for pets so improvise