Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Birds are dumb

There is a bird who lives in the tree outside my bedroom window. He (I'm assuming he because he has the poor taste to be so god-damned happy in the mornings) sings in his happy-chirpy voice at first light.

I've started noticing that he's also happy-chirpy in the evenings. I assumed, not being wild about birds and therefore not knowing anything about birds that don't live in cages, that after the sun was up he would go on about his day. Fly out into the world and conduct his little birdy business and return after sunset for sleeping-time.

No. That's not what happens. He sings in the afternoons too. And well into the evenings. I think this bird is mocking me. He's mocking my headache and my usual surly grumpiness in the mornings and my stress and my frustration.

I don't know why one little birdy can be so completely happy. Is it the way he's made? Perhaps his happiness stems from his existence. Maybe he is happy simply because he is alive and has a voice. Do birds have earthly pleasures? Do they experience confusion and love and torment and sexual desire?

Perhaps being a bird would be better, but I rather like my silly, twisted confusion about life. I just really wish this little guy would go sing outside another girl's window once in a while.

4 comments:

Gin said...

I have one of those too. I was shocked when I heard it singing at night for the first time. I was like you, I thought after the sun went down it would stop. Apparently our birds are very proud of their little singing voice.

John Donation said...

maybe birds are happy because they have little tiny brains. theres a guy I know who is in AA who bags groceries and he is pretty miserable but the other guy who bags groceries is always happy and talking to people. That guy is mentally handicapped. Maybe I got it backwards. Maybe having full mental capacity is the handicap. Ive heard it said that ego can not live in the now. Maybe this guy has an inability to dwell in the past or future and that makes him happy. Like when I lock my dog up for 18 hours. When I let him out he isnt resentful. He is happy.

Jade said...

There's an interesting thought ... the smarter a creature, the more creative ways they can develop to torture themselves emotionally. Neat.

Wait. What? said...

I had two mating pigeons wake me yesterday morning outside my window - they were on the air conditioner unit - making babies -- the cooing drive me nuts... at 6 am?! I mean I have heard of morning sex but c'mon!