dark days
Monday, July 19th, 2010Why do I always feel like an asshole when I write about exactly how I feel? Like I’m not supposed to, like it’s wrong for me to be pissed off at asshole people. Like I should just sit quiet and take it.
There is a big, black cloud over the city today. A huge storm pelting the pavement and it’s incredibly fitting. I managed to get outside to snap a few photos before the rain started. Someone is going to regret not bringing their laundry in earlier. Damn that enticing grey morning for keeping people close to their sofas and beds.
There was hawk perched on the roof of the building across from mine. He stood there looking around for his or her next victim I guess and this tiny bird with a flat, black tail kept flying around him and landing a foot or so away. He’d hop over closer to the hawk and when the hawk turned to look at him, the little bird would fly into the air and circle the hawk’s head before landing again and repeating his little game. It was as if he just wanted to call attention to himself and his cute, flat, black tail feathers. Like, look at me I’m special. I couldn’t help but think the hawk could have easily just snatched that little taunting bird out of the air but he didn’t. It just looked at him. Like it wasn’t ready yet.
Hawks are birds of prey, also called raptors, which have a presence all over the world except for Antarctica. They possess the attributes of exceptionally fine eyesight, sharp beaks and talons for grabbing their prey, and they have the ability to spot their potential meal with binocular-like vision. Most hawks are what are known as sit-and-wait predators, staying in a selected spot till an animal comes along that they can kill and eat.
“Sit-and-wait predators”. I’ve met a few of those.