Saw him again today.

Right outside my window, perched on the schoolyard fence. The sun was out and the clouds looked like marshmallows floating in that picture perfect blue sky. If I could, I’d be out there too. Summer was definitely around the corner.

He stood there for an hour, maybe two. Hopping around at the site of the army of small kids that came out during recess. I think that he gets most nervous at the sight of the red bouncy ball. I know I would. A childhood of dodgeball will do that.

Blue Jay. Even though I was no bird watcher, I had figured it out pretty quickly.

Sharp looking birds.

The phone would ring another 6 or 7 times before I could get out of there. But at 5 pm, as I got up from my desk, I knew I wouldn’t see him on the fence anymore.

I still checked just in case.

It’s only when I got to my car that I noticed. It was hard to at first, what with rush hour starting. But the chirp and the sound of flapping wings gave him away.

There he was, high in the sky, heading home for the night.