Day 10 - Practice

This is a "you can't make this stuff up" story.

Treated myself to lunch at the beach today.  Bought a fabulous roast beef sandwich at the West Falmouth Market.  Settled myself into my beach chair at Chapoquoit Beach..  Went for a brief swim.  Back to the chair.  Pulled out my book.  And my sandwich.

It happened in a flash.  And thank goodness I didn't see it coming or I would have been totally freaked out by it.

As I raised the sandwich to my mouth - I think it was about six inches away - there was a sudden movement across my right shoulder, and I watched half of my sandwich fly away in the mouth of a huge seagull.

Ok. In case you didn't get it the first time.  The sandwich was SIX INCHES away from my mouth.  IN MY HANDS.  And this seagull flew in, sneak attack, over my shoulder, grabbed the sandwich and kept flying.  Dropped to the sand about six feet in front of me.

I was stunned.  Surprised. Shocked.  I suppose could have been angry but honestly was more amused.

So why have I titled this blog post "Practice"?

Because I am imaging in bird world that it took a lot - and I mean a HUGE LOT - of practice for that gull to perfect this move.  I mean, seriously, think how brazen it was?  And if he missed - well - his buddies sure would have been snickering (and I suppose in hindsight I could have been hurt badly but it didn't even occur to me until just now.)

I picture this bird practicing this move for at least the past six weeks.  And his bird buddies must have been standing there in the parking lot with him before he took off for his swoop today saying, "c'mon, Fred - you can do it!  Go for it!  Get the SANDWICH!"

And he must have mustered every bit of courage he had - moved past his fear - and just said "oh what the heck - I'm join' for it!"

Ok.  I know.  I am putting way more thought into this bird's head than is likely reality.  He was working on instinct.  He's a bird.  He needs to eat.  I had food. 

I'm searching for a moral to this story - and I am not quite sure yet what it is - but it sure is a fun story to share - just for the sharing!

The reason I started this blog was for practice.  A daily small discipline of writing.  

​What daily discipline might you take on for the next week weeks?

Here's the bird who swooped in on me today. And the rip left behind in the page of my book - I assume from his beak or foot as he pushed away from me.

STILL amazed!!!

xoxo

Mimi

ps - Moral of the story?

Hold on to your sandwich!!! (or eat it at home)