A tryst with Destiny

A few days back I was visiting a friend. Since I was visiting her for the first time, I had to spend some time locating the house. Finally I got into the lane of her house. Now, I wasnt sure as to where her house was on that lane , and also if there was any parking space near her house. So when I saw a parking space at the start of the lane , I parked my car, and started walking towards her house.

I had walked around 20 steps, when out of the blue, I saw a crow sitting like a duck on the road, nigh the middle of the road. Deciding to not pay too much attention to the crow, I walked past it. But then, damn! I could not contain my curiosity. So I turned around and walked back. On looking at the crow closely, I noticed that the crow must have been a "teenage crow". i.e. It wasnt a fully grown adult, but then it was not a child too. Hmm ! Interesting! I thought.

I went close to it , wondering what was making it sit like that in the middle of the road. I suspected that it was injured but I wasnt sure. Overwhelmed with compassion, I sat down besides it and stroked its back. The crow got up a little , walked two or three steps and sat again. With a sad understanding smile on my face, I got up. I suddenly became aware of a lot of loud crowing around me . Above me on the electric poles were two adult crows that were watching this one. ( Maybe its parents ! not sure ). But they, sure were, very protective of this little one. Suddenly, one of the crows from the top, dives , touches my hair with its feet and flies off ! I was completely surprised, stunned and angry . I almost felt like shouting at the crows on the top - I just want to help !! The child will be trampled over by any vehicle that goes on this road !!

I knew, the crows would not understand and there was nothing much I could do to help this little one, so I went over to my friend's place. I told her about this injured crow - she had been aware of it , but wasn't much bothered. With a concerned look, I turned around and looked at the injured crow from the balcony of her first floor house, looked at its parents and then went inside the house. I spent about half an hour with her - when I got a call on my mobile. I wanted to talk to the person in private and so I came out to the balcony. I saw the crow still lying there and the helpless parents crowing their throats off.

I started talking to the person on the phone, when I saw a guy , backing his car from the garage of his house and starting to go in the direction of the crow. I was shocked and before I could say anything, the man had driven over this child crow ! All this as I was still on the phone and shouting 'Oh no! Ohhhh NO!! ". Before I could do anything, the deed was done . I ran downstairs and rushed towards the child to see if there was anything I could do. The child, though, was fatally injured. As I neared the child, this adult crow again scooped and hit me on my hair !

I felt so very powerless !! I walked back immediately. But the crows were so suspicious of me now , that the parent dived and hit me again on my hair, even though I was no where near the child. Sad :(

Disheartened I called my friend, who loved animals, to ask her what I could do in such a situation . She consoled me and said there was nothing much to be done, since the crow was now anyway a body and nature would take care.

I returned back - thinking of what an experience I had had that day !

On a positive note, for the first time in my life, first hand, I had experienced how close-knit crows were as a family. For the first time, I had actually communicated with nature and a bird family. The experience though sad, was gratifying and humbling.