Company for Breakfast

What a way to start the day! I headed downtown on my usual bus reading about how participation changes our experience. I walk to my favourite Blenz to get my royal tea latte. It appears to be just a "normal" morning, nothing particularly exciting or even very interesting ... other than reading Leonard Sweet ... until, a pigeon decides to join me for breakfast.

I'm standing at the bus stop eating my pumpkin scone with maple glaze, waiting for my latte to cool enough so I don't burn my tongue. I look up and see a pigeon watching me. He tilts his head to look at my scone, and then looks back at me as if to say "Could I have some too?"

I debate with myself: "Can pumpkin scones possibly be good for a pigeon to eat?"

A woman passing by comments: "Looks like you've got company for breakfast."

I laugh and decide to share as the pigeon keeps watching my and my scone with pleading eyes. What harm can a pumpkin scone do give all of the other things pigeons scavenge? Seriously, where's the debate?

The pigeon watches carefully as I break a small piece off and set it down on the ledge about an arm's reach away. He waits the briefest of moments as if waiting to make sure the treat is really real, hops down from his vantage point and the scone disappears. He steps carefully back, preens a little, showing off his iridescent green and burgundy feathers on his sleek silver coat and waits.

I'll admit. I'm a softy. He looked so cute and my scone was extra large this morning. How could I not share? He was so polite, no squawking in protest when I took too long between bites as a seagull would do. He just waited, patiently, trustingly and each time I shared a bite, he would come a little bit closer to get his treat.

Unfortunately, the bus arrived too soon and I had to continue on with my ordinary day turned extraordinary by a pigeon who came for breakfast.

"In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous."

Aristotle