I was wearing my Bob's Burgers hat and warm coat. (The Bob's Burgers hat is pink with rabbit ears. You can probably see it online if you look.)
Hazel had to wear her coat too. She was rewarded with a piece of sausage because we had to pick up her feet.
We went out, and to the park across the street. It is the kind of cold that makes everything clear. You can see for miles. I can see Bayonne and Hoboken, across the water. Almost nobody out. And as I stood there shivering, a formation of pigeons went by. When I see them on the sidewalk I forget, but they are serious birds. Some people speak of them as if they are debased creatures-- people speak of rats the same way. But I think of what my mom used to say about animals like that. 'They are doing God's work.'
The pigeons form up, in the morning, and fly in schools like fish. 30, 40, at a time. Each one holds position, and at some unseen signal they all bank, and swoop back the other way. There is no reason for it, that I can see. They don't hunt from the air. They are not going anywhere. They do it for joy, it seems. I would too, if I could. They were so close over me that I could hear the bristly sound of their feathers. And they are lovely, as the light changes on their feathers. They are blue, and black, and all kinds of grey. They are so clean and free.
Hazel payed them no attention, of course. She capered around, and did her thing, and kicked up behind to clear away there. (Like Kit Smarts Jeoffrey,) and then we went in.
Just a moment of awe, along with bunny hats and sausage.
