"SEEDS" - the continuing story of pigeons and friendship

My muse paid me a visit this week and it's about time, too. It's been somewhat of a dry spell pursuing the continuing story of Julie, the park jogger, and her chance meeting with Sylvia, the ultimate pigeon lover. The story is slowly developing in an on-again, off-again fashion.

Yet another snippet:

An encounter with Hal, the park supervisor, who warns Sylvia that more significant steps will be taken if she refuses to cease and desist the feeding of her feathered friends.

 

JULIE

Sorry I took so long but my boss called. Hadda explain why I wasn’t back. Course I lied but then it was for a good cause. A friend of yours, Sylvia? Introduce us.

          SYLVIA is silent

I’ll go out on a limb here and guess that judging by your uniform, you work for the parks department

          HAL is silent

Nice park you have here. I take a short jog through here on my lunch hour. Met up with Sylvia not two hours ago but it’s like we’ve known each other forever. Maybe we were friends in a past life or something. Course not everyone believes in that stuff but I think there’s something to it. Am I missing something? You can cut the silence between you two with a knife

HAL

I was just warning Sylvia that she has to stop feeding the pigeons. It’s not like I haven’t told her a thousand times before but I’m getting heat from the director to take more action, the type she won’t like

SYLVIA

I’ve tried to explain the situation to my friends but they don’t listen for whatever reason. Pigeons can be very stubborn when they sense a threat. Don’t think they like you, Hal

JULIE

Oh I think Hal here is merely doing his job, right Hal? Are you on duty here five days a week? I would have remembered seeing you for sure

SYLVIA

He’s a threat to pigeons. How come you don’t pick on other birds or squirrels?

 HAL

They don’t leave blobs of white everywhere like your feathered friends do

SYLVIA

How do you know that? You’re not here on guard twenty-four-hours a day. It’s a personal thing with you, isn’t it? Admit it! You hate them!

JULIE

Now Sylvia, I’m sure Hal here is just doing his job. Never met a pigeon lover like Sylvia. Here every day to feed them. Why I don’t know…that is to say, a person has to take a rest now and then to take care of themselves. I was just telling her she’s not dressed for this weather and needs to wear warmer clothes. We were just sharing a hot pretzel and coffee…here’s your pretzel, Sylvia. Probably cold by now but the coffee is still warm

          SYLVIA breaks the pretzel into small pieces

HAL

Don’t even think about feeding that to the pigeons

JULIE

Of course she’s not. She’s a law-abiding citizen, aren’t you friend? We were about to head for my apartment. Right Sylvia? I need some decorating advice and it seems she has a flair for design.

SYLVIA

But..

JULIE

Don't be so modest! Such an avant-garde trendsetter. Very much in demand and I’m fortunate enough to have met up with her in this very park. Fate I guess

SYLVIA

I can’t…

JULIE

…fit me in your schedule? I’m in no rush. Meanwhile you can offer me advice on wall colors and maybe a few decorating tips. Getting colder by the minute. Better head home. Nice meeting you, Hal. You wouldn’t happen to have a card with your contact number, would you? Never know when I might need help being that I’m a jogger. I could trip and need some assistance, being that I run here from noon to one except on Fridays

 

          JULIE attempts to usher SYLVIA away but SYLVIA

          resists

(Cont’d. JULIE) Silly me. You want to say goodbye to your feathered friends. Then we really have to leave

HAL

 

Better leave now with your human friend, Sylvia

JULIE

 

Look at the time! Really gotta go. Don’t you just love these pretzels?

          JULIE drags SYLVIA away as she looks back at the

          pigeons, her arm extended towards them