Requiem for a Pigeon

It was just standing there, in the middle of the road, looking somewhat stunned. It had been lucky not to have been hit by a previous car that drove over it. Maybe it was injured or just temporary disoriented. But it was only a matter of time before a car ran over it.

“I am going over to shoo it. Hopefully it will fly away from the road.” I told Kelly.

“Be careful. Make sure there are no oncoming vehicles.” She replied.

I waited until there was no oncoming vehicle on both sides of the road before I ran to the spot where the pigeon stood. Tried as I might to shoo it, it just would not fly away or even move away from the middle of the road to the side where it would be safe. In desperation, I realized the only way I could save this seemingly disoriented bird was to try to catch it with my bare hands and forcefully carry it away. However, it was not an easy task. Despite being seemingly confused, the pigeon still maintained its instinctive fear of human beings and would started walking away from my hands whenever they are near it. Ironically, it seemed to like running in circles and not towards the side of the road.

“Hey, there is a car coming! Get out of there!” I heard Kelly’s voice coming from the pedestrian and looked up. There was a car coming towards me. I ran towards Kelly.

Miraculously, that oncoming car avoided the pigeon.

“Maybe I should go back to shoo it again.” I said.

“Well, there are other cars coming from both sides of the road now…… This is the hour where people are leaving work. It will be too dangerous for you, don’t do it.” Kelly pleaded.

“But the pigeon will die.”

“You did your best. But it clearly did not want to move from that spot. What can you do for the bird if it does not recognize that you are trying to help it? Come on, it is not worth it. Your life is more important.” Kelly reasoned.

“Oh well…… Maybe the other drivers will avoid it, like what the previous drivers were doing, and the pigeon will realize that it is in danger and fly away.” I said optimistically.

“Yeah, let’s go. You have done enough to try to save it. Don’t worry about the bird. What will be will be.” Kelly said

That night, as I walked towards the garbage dump with my trash, a stranger who happened to be walking by greeted me.

“Hey, I saw you trying to save the pigeon just now. But unfortunately, someone ran over it in the end.” The black woman said.

“Oh well…… that is so bad. I should have tried to catch it.”

“Nah, you did your best, what was meant to be will be.”

“Maybe.”

With that, I greeted the woman goodnight, and continued walking towards the garbage dump. Even though I was trying hard not to think about it, the image of a crushed pigeon kept appearing in my mind.

Somewhere deep down, I felt a faint tinge of melancholy.