CRUMBS [a short novella]

Chapter 8: matzah ball

Seto was really starting to enjoy all the starchy goodness New York City had to offer. Tortillas, baguettes, and the crust of that triangle thingy with cheese on it. But Pretzels were by far her favourite. She loved the way they curled around in two big loops. As if it was so delicious, that the ends of the Pretzel dough couldn't help but hug itself.

She even promised Parker that once her wing healed she would fly around in swirly loops, drawing the shape of a pretzel in the sky. Parker smiled a giant grin. What could be more delicious than a giant pretzel in the sky? He couldn't wait to see Seto loop around with her beautiful little wings stretched out just a few inches apart.

Then his heart suddenly tugged at him. Her wing had to have been feeling better. Very soon she would have to go home.

"So what DO you remember about home Seto?", Parker suddenly asked while they finished off the last salty pretzel crumb.

"Trees. Lots of them. Music echoing in the forest. Voices like mine." she said with a muffled voice stuffed with food. "Then being angry and flying here. Then falling, falling, falling".

Parker quickly changed the subject, fearing she would remember too much. He started pointing out people on the streets as they sat perched on top of a newspaper box on the corner of 34th Street and 7th. He wanted to show Seto more about the Humans. They weren't really that scary.

"Look over there Seto. See that swarm of people. Those are TOURISTS. They are scattered all over the city with these white uniforms that have the Letters "NY" and a heart on it. They're the Human that is most likely to feed you when you approach."

Seto bobbed her head in fascination and began pointing at other Humans as a child does at the Bronx Zoo. Then her wing pointed out a beautiful brunette with long legs that pranced around in all kinds of colours, purposefully showcasing the little bag over her arm.

"Ah, yes Seto. That's a FASHION SOCIALITE", Parker said, blushing slightly as the memory of the blond bombshell with Manolo Blahniks 5th Avenue. "Lots of them here in New York. They dress up like colourful Amazonian birds".

"And she wears something around her arm like me!". Seto sang, shaking her little leg that held the blue band "bracelet". By now Parker understood that this blue band was a tracking device. She was a Threatened species after all. If she didn't make it home in time for migration, the Humans would surely come to get her. Parker realized that Seto's departure was inevitable.

"And what about that one? It's like a Penguin!", she giggled, pointing to the man in the black suit sitting stiffly on the bench.

"Oh, that is Mr.Wall-Street-Banker. All of them dress like penguins, but they're really more like vultures. Never get in the way of a Mr.Wall-Street-Banker type, they'll hit you with a newspap..."

Before he could finish, Seto raced towards the Penguin-Mr. Wall-Street-Banker man as fast as her little legs could go.

Oh no. She was running for a bite of the Pretzel that sat in Mr.Wall-Street-Banker's left hand. But she was messing with the wrong New Yorker because in his right hand sat a fresh copy of The New York Times paper.

"NO SETO, NO!", Parker yelled as he began to run after her.

But she kept running with the passion for that lovely salty treat. Then Mr.Wall-Street-Banker, with the stern look on his face, felt a little tug on his afternoon snack.

"Noooooooooo", Parker bellowed. But Parker was slow. His perfectly round, Wonderbread filled tummy made his run a clumsy endeavour. He would never make it like this.

Time seemed to slow down as Mr.Wall-Street-Banker cocked his arm back and lunged his newspaper like a sword at the little Seto who naively nibbled away.

In an instant, Parker decided to work with what he had. A big fat tummy. He tucked in his feet and rolled himself into the shape of a matzah ball. Then in one go, he shot-gunned himself along the hard ground towards Seto.

Clunk!

He knocked Seto away from the hefty edge of the newspaper sword. Knocked out of her pretzel trance, Seto realized what was happening. Her wings fluttered her up and away as the newspaper barely brushed her hind feathers. She perched herself on a street lamp, laughing both from the joy that she could finally fly again but also from the flustered look on Mr.Wall-Street-Banker's face.

Then from her aerial view, she saw Parker.

"Parker!" She screamed in horror. "Fly Parker Fly! Fly! Fly!"

Parker had rolled so far he was now lying on the street seeing the headlights of the Taxi charging towards him.

Oh oh, not again, Parker thought.
The Taxi continued to speed ahead. Seto continued to scream.
Then all Parker saw was light.