LITTLE RAINBOW THE VISITATION
A Strange Encounter
Quietly, I snick out the back door to the truck. My destination was Walgreens, a mile away.
Pulling
into
the
driveway
there
in
front
of
me
a
marked
parking
space,
marked
reserve
for
handicap,
I
pulled
into
the
sport,
turn
off
the
engine,
place
the
handicap
sticker
on
the
dash
board,
made
my
way
into
the
building,
yes
this
was
my
first
time
in
this
Walgreens,
looking
around it was not hard to locate the pharmacy, situated to the left straight forward.
Casually
I
strode
to
the
counter,
picking
up
a
prescription
for
Therese
Atkins,
I
said
to
the
clerk,
she
did
not
quite
hear
my
request
and
ask
me
to
repeat
what
I
had
just
told
her,
once
more
I
said
picking
up
a
prescription
for
Therese
Atkins,
she
ask
me
to
speak
louder,
I
move
closer
to
her
on
the
right
hand
side
bend
my
frame
towards
the
glass
barrier,
picking
up
for
Therese
Atkins,
what
is
her
birthday,
I
told
her
then
she
muttered
under
her
breath
some
strange
name
staring
at
the
computer,
no
I
said
its
Therese
Atkins,
Atkins
she
muttered
can
you spell the last name, Atkins I said politely.
Yes
two
prescription
for
her
speaking
in
a
friendly
tone
of
voice,
she
disappear
round
the
corner
and
quickly
return
with
two
packages,
I
believe
I
have
paid
for
those
I
said,
if
not
I
am
willing
to
pay
for
them
again,
shuffling
through
my
phone
BMO
app,
I
showed
her
several
pending
amount
listed,
oh
hold
on
let
me
check,
nothing
came
up
on
her
end,
she
intended
to
canceled
out
the
pending purchase but it did not show on her system.
I
paid
for
her
prescriptions
once
again.
Next
to
her,
another
clerk
pointed
out
to
her
that
my
bank
would
satisfy
the
pending
charges.
After
she
had
bagged
the
prescription,
we
chattered
a
little.
I
told
her
this
was
my
first
time
here
at
Walgreens.
I
thought
it
was
very
neat
and
well
organized,
and
the
employees
behaved
professionally.
I
told
her
I
was
glad
to
make
the
switch
to
this
pharmacy. Thanking her, I strolled out of the building.
Strange Encounter with a Pigeon
I
walked
towards
the
truck.
Stared
a
glimpse
around
the
parking
lot,
there
were
more
parked
cars
now
in
the
lot
than
before,
I
noticed
the
car
parked
next
to
me
was
gone,
the
space
was
empty.
I
quicken
my
pace,
open
the
door,
and
slide
myself
into
the
truck.
Closed
the
door
start
the
truck,
from
the
time
I
entered
the
truck,
there
was
a
strange
sound
coming
from
the
back
seat
or
so
I
thought,
the
truck
was
still
running
but
remain
in
the
pack
position,
while
I
ponder
what
was
this
noise,
there
was
nothing
in
the
back
seat
that
I
could
see,
but
the
noise
got
louder
as
I
ponder,
this got me very puzzled.
Once
again
I
listened
looking
around
still
wondering
where
the
noise
was
coming
from,
finally
I
decided
to
step
out
the
truck
and
take
a
peek
at
the
truck
hood,
I
thought
the
noise
sounded
like
a
pigeon,
a
very
annoyed
one
too,
as
I
step
out
the
truck
a
lady
who
was
making
her
way
to
her
her
car
said
to
me
there
is
a
bird
on
top
of
the
hood,
sure
enough
there
was
a
bird
on
the
hood
top,
it
was
a
pigeon,
the
most
beautiful
animal
I
have
ever
seen,
this
pigeon
was
adorn
with
the
colors
of
green
white
light
brown,
blue
at
the
breast
a
shade
of
purple
underneath
its
brown
feathers,
a
real big critter.
Wow
I
thought
to
myself
turning
my
attention
to
the
bird,
I
thought
seeing
me
in
this
proximity
it
would
quickly
fly
away,
no
Sir,
it
turn
its
body
towards
me
look
me
straight
into
my
eyes,
puffed
up
its
feathers
enhancing
its
weird
sound
to
a
higher
decimal,
then
made
its
way
towards
me,
this
caught
me
by
surprise,
this
was
not
what
I
expected
to
happen,
goodness
I
thought
this
bird
is
walking
up
to
me
fearlessly,
then
it
stop
an
inch
from
my
face
continuing
ramping
and
I
would
say
quarreling
with
me,
shaking
its
head
up
and
down
and
sideways
as
it
look
me
in
the
eyes by now it had gotten my attention and so was the lady who told me there is a bird on your truck, she was looking at the show with great curiously standing next to her car.
Meanwhile
this
naughty
bird
continue
to
pace
up
and
down
the
hood
of
the
truck
challenging
me
to
a
duel
I
thought
if
I
raised
my
arm
and
shout
it
off
it
would
get
frightened
and
fly
away,
not
that
bird
it
did
exactly
the
opposite,
walking
up
to
my
outstretch
hands
it
pick
me
at
my
fingers,
not
once
or
twice
but
three
times,
still
looking
me
straight
into
my
eyes,
softly
I
ask
the
bird
what
did
I
do
to
you
why
are
you
mad
at
me,
truly
it
got
very
irate
flapping
out
its
wings
and
kicking
up
its
hills
it
prance
in
a
circle
and
came
right
up
to
my
hands,
I
pattered
it
on
its
head
it
move
its
head aside as to say don’t touch me, are you from the Lord I said to the bird, for a brief second it hesitated and allowed me to pet it. Then it walked to the middle of the roof.
Why
are
you
so
angry
I
ask
the
bird,
walking
away
from
my
hands,
it
strode
to
the
middle
of
the
truck
roof
and
continue
to
the
edge
of
the
back,
quarreling
as
it
match
up
and
down
in
a
straight
line
with
precision
timing
like
a
discipline
General,
I
said
to
the
bird
I
have
ask
you
to
go
politely,
I
even
try
to
shoo
you
away
but
you
would
not
move
an
inch,
what
is
it
you
want
from
me,
more people were watching now as I resistless ague with Little Rainbow, that is what I called it.
Even
the
first
lady
refused
to
leave
the
parking
lot,
watching
with
great
curiously,
sited
inside
her
car,
meanwhile
back
to
the
rude
bird,
I
move
to
the
end
of
the
truck
hood
and
Rainbow
followed
me
again
looking
me
square
into
my
eyes,
huffing
and
puffin,
please
go
away
I
need
to
get
home
and
I
am
not
your
enemy,
it
seems
to
understand
my
plea,
look
me
into
the
eyes
at
arms length, moving ever so closely to me, nodded its head twice and walk away eventually taking flight to the north.
All
the
time
I
left
the
truck
running,
mesmerized,
puzzled,
and
intrigued
at
this
brave
bird's
behavior,
I
did
not
dare
to
turn
the
engine
off
or
even
leave
the
spot
where
I
was
standing.
The
naughty
bird
had
me
spellbound,
even
after
it
flew
away.
After
the
bird
flew
away,
I
watched
it
go
and
move
back
into
the
truck.
The
curious
lady
was
still
sitting
in
her
car,
watching
me.
As
I
slowly
reverse
out
of
the
parking
lot.
Turned
down
the
windows
and
shouted
out
to
me
I
believe
this
bird
fell
in
love
with
you,
I
believe
that
I
was
being
visited
by
the
Almighty;
it
was
a
blessing. I replied to her.