Imagine Us in Heaven

Whimsical

"What the fuck, Blythe?"

Markus Weber doesn't expect to see me in front of his door this early morning. He doesn't seem thrilled, but he doesn't dislike the idea of me coming over either, inviting me inside his place with a loud clap on my back that almost makes me vomit my lungs.

"You don't come to work, and you show up here," he says with a laugh. "If the boss finds out..."

I know he has a loud mouth, but I don't care at this point. The thing is, Markus is one of the co-workers I hang out with because I have no choice. We both work at a funeral home as embalmers, and the majority of the employees are boomers. Markus is the only person I can talk to without judging my lifestyle since he's only a few years older than me.

"Anyway, bud. What's with the sudden visit?"

"Uh, I find a wounded bird on the rooftop of my apartment," I go straight to the point because I don't want to stay any longer. "Just thinking if you can lend me some of the equipment. You know the bones in the wings are broken. I need those pins..."

Markus looks astonished by my sudden interest in the subject, but he doesn't seem skeptical. "Yeah, I can lend you, man. But what kind of bird is this? A hawk? Pigeon?"

Dang, what kind of bird is he?

I think about this for a moment. "A hawk? I mean, he is bigger than a pigeon..." Bigger than a hawk too, but I'm not about to tell him that.

"Fine. You sure you don't need any help?"

"Nah. I got this, man. You taught me this so many times, remember?"

He laughs. "I thought you weren't listening then; I'm impressed. Okay, well, remember the bird needs pain medications first so it can get comfortable. Fluids to correct dehydration, and any injuries should be cleaned and bandaged."

"Thank you, man." I take the materials from his hand, and he also hands me a Budweiser.

"Cheers!"

"Cheers...wait, what are we cheering for?"

He gulps his drink first before speaking. "You're a certified bird man. I started that way, you know? I took care of one, then another, and then another. They keep coming up to me like I'm their dad!" He stops to cackle before adding, "Anyway, birds are the same. If this one is bigger than a pigeon, then it's also wilder. If it's really a hawk, be careful of the beaks. They don't take kindly to strangers. Which got me thinking, it's kind of rare to see one in the city nowadays..."

...and then he goes on and on about how the government should improve animal protection laws and that PETA should be more proactive than just asking for donations online. He criticizes every lawmaker, council legislator, and government official, and I stand there listening to his ramblings for about half an hour before he finally lets me go.

✺✳ ┅ ⑅ ┅ ✳✺

Back in the car, I study the materials he hands me and think this should be enough to heal that bird, right? Er... it isn't a bird, but...

Before I can start the car, I notice a same-sex couple on the side of the street who seem to be arguing over a streetlight. I furrow my brow, wondering if they are foreigners because they look like one or if they even speak English. They hold some papers (or flyers), but I don't think they are panhandlers given how impeccably dressed they are.

Sometimes, I hate myself for being nosy, or maybe I'm just bothered by how the people in this neighborhood look at them. This place isn't really a safe zone for visitors like them, not to mention the generalizations people in this country have about immigrants, and I feel bad if anything happens to them.