A Thursday
After days, which seem like months to me, I have the TV remote in hand and was just about to begin lunch.
When I just glance at a big dark figure falling from the sky, onto the road. I thought it was just a random crow swooping down to pick some food. I was wrong. One of the electricity wires swayed too, and I sensed something dubious. I finished my lunch soon, ignoring whatever that came on Discovery Science Channel, I was curious to know what had deceased the earth, so fast, and so fallen.
My uncle stood outside, in the first floor balcony, and he said that an eagle had fallen. An Eagle! That majestic bird of prey, I remember I had two when I was a kid as pets. They were magnificent and big, as I was small. My uncle said the eagle had crawled under the car, and he told me to ignore it.
I listened to nothing.
I was barefooted on the marble floor, wore whatever footwear I could find and went down.
I crouched on the road beside the car and see the eagle, lying down, on his belly(for I assume it's a he) and I extend my hand and try to take him out, failing to recall how dangerous it's beak and talons could be.
I saw a helpless ave before me, and I ignored all threats. It's how I am, I don't care if I'm mortally harmed or injured.
I felt helpless though, the bird didn't want my help.
At that time.... I knew one person who would assist me. My big big bro. Raji. We haven't really spoken decently in years, after a silly fight(it seems silly now, was a big deal then. Hint: lots of punches and kicks) but I knew he would help. So I just give a shout to Raspberry(my aunt) and ask her to call him. She refuses(so rude!) so I tell my uncle, he refuses too(worse rude) so I run back upstairs, two floors up to my room and tell Jij to call him, she was giving my younger bro a bath, all wet and told me to call him. Awkward. So instead I whatsapp him. And rush down again, to check on the bird, on the way down I grab a chicken kebab piece for the eagle.
Down again, I'm waiting, in hope that my bro has seen the message and that he arrives. He lives next street though, not too far. Barely a hundred meters away. But we've been farther, so far away he was just my familiar stranger.
I toss the chicken near the bird's mouth, and it nibbles on it. Ah! At least he's eating. Maybe just got into a mid-flight fight with its peers. Or something like that, since I see another eagle in a relatively good shape land on the roof across my house. It's was... Eeeeeee-ing, or whatever that whistle like sound eagles make.
Five minutes, ten, and I'd lost hope of my brother coming. Even my uncle from top asking me to leave the bird alone, and to come back up. Meh. Would I listen? No. And then... Riding his Dio, came my bro. Confession: never been happier to see that fool phool, alone. I smiled, a grin of relief.
That moment, no one else mattered, only me, my brother and the bird, who we wouldn't let die, much less be further harmed.
We still don't speak we'll, though we could type well and have a relatively decent conversation there, mere words on a screen and no tune echoing in the air.
He asked my uncle for a piece of cloth, I was confused until I realized he was taking precaution. Talons and beak. Which I had forgotten. He went inside, near the garage and brought a jug of water and an inch thick stick. He tried making the eagle drink water, it was still lying on its belly and couldn't crawl back out. But he managed to bring the bird out, from under the car with the help of that stick. The eagle held on to the stick with its razor shape beak, and when my brother slowly pulled it out, out came the bird's body. I felt stupid then, why wasn't I as smart as him? Why did I forget the natural instinct of the beast?
The stick still in beak, and beak open, Raji carefully made the bird drink some water.
The cloth was still there, and he covered the bird with it, tail and lower body. And called his friend up asking him to come here(spoiler: his friend never arrived). And he tells me that that was the same friend who gave him Jack. Jack was his pet eagle for less than a week, Jack flew away. I never met him. Meh. So yeah that guy probably knows a bit more about the bird. Maybe.
It's still so weird, actually speaking to my brother. And he then told me to keep the eagle's beak open and stiff with the stick, that he'd try picking it up. He explained that he had to catch the feet of the bird to haul him up and hold him put. He said we had to take the bird up to the terrace. I agreed, no idea what was there to object in that. But we were waiting for his friend.
I couldn't bear the wait, I was kneeling down just like him. The knees of my jeans smeared with dust and I touch the eagle... Cautiously, now aware since my bro reminded me I could bleed with merely a strike from the sharp beak or talon. Though I doubted the bird could lift a foot, but it's head was active, 270 degrees I tell you.
And then, that other eagle, remember, swooped bit low. As if warning us both. My uncle immediately demanded us both up, but we naturally ignored him. Haha. The love for animals runs in this generation of my family. My brothers and I, we absolutely love them. Especially cats. I though, am the most fearless. I don't care of I'm bitten or scratched, not my bros though. Caution surfaces.
That other eagle perched up two stories high on my neighbor's house, keeping a close watch. Ironic, their eyes are splendid. But worse things were on the way: stray dogs. Five of them, I was closer to the fallen eagle, and my bro stood up, as if to fend off the healthier, more threatening beasts or to defend me, or just run away(possible, highly possible) I didn't know. He had that jug of water in hand and sprinkled it on the dogs, they scurried away. Thank god, and then he picked up and little stone and tossed it at the other eagle up, it flew away, but was circling high up. See, still keeping close watch. Maybe a friend, or sibling, or kin of this fallen ave.
Raji then said we had to take the bird up, now. So I did as he said, held the stick firmly in the eagle's beak and he fiddled to find the feet of the bird under it. Still cautious. We should totally be wildlife volunteers, imagine! Okay, so he managed finally to lift the bird, and we ascended upstairs. All those bloody stairs, more than fifty of them! I was tired.
And there was Fudge. My cat who I knew not how he would react on seeing the eagle. He was basking on the terrace, our little destination. Bro told me to leave Fudge down, I obeyed.
See, just recently Jij was cleaning the terrace, she cleaned half of it, so there was a junk mound in the middle. Made of twigs, dried coconut leaves, all that, a perfect nest.
We placed the eagle on the ground, in the shade. We have a coconut tree, and a tarpaulin canopy. Lots of shade. A couple of plants in pots.
Raji said we had to give the eagle more water, so I turned on the tap connected to a pipe and we fed it water.
After being hydrated, the bird walked a bit. Yay! But it crawled into the "nest" and chuckled up against himself, and... He was shivering slightly. I so wish the bird is alright soon. It was probably dehydrated, bloody Bangalore heat, we need the rains! Anyways, the bird seemed to have better reflexes now, snapped at us. But he calmed down soon after... and I forgot every harm, went ahead and stroked its back. Soft, so so soft! Softer than velvet(softer than a cat's fur), I had forgotten. I now remember. Fearless, reckless, call me whatever: I stroked the bird's head. Scratched it, and it first snapped then relaxed! Pride filled in me.
My brother though asked me if I wanted a photo. I didn't find it necessary, but he handed me the bird, showed me how to hold it firmly and took pics, later asked me to take his pics too. Done. All the while, my littlest cousin bro Affu tagged along, and I asked him what the eagle's name should be. He said "Eagle!". Wow. Then later after few minutes, he called the bird "Sugar". What's so sweet in it bro? Haha. But I ain't naming it Sugar, no way. Maybe Spice as one of my friend suggested. Yeah, Jack and Spice. Recent raptor pets. Of Faraz and Numey.
(Even if we have them for a few hours ^.^)
It was getting late, almost evening and we descended down, the Eagle safe in his nest. Warm and comfortable.
All the while, I feel happy. My bro stood by me, while my uncle had other views. He wanted us to just leave the bird in the graveyard opposite out street, and let it die there. Worse, get eaten by dogs and snakes and whatnot that resides there. A graveyard ain't as dead as it seems y'know.
A bit of hope, a bit of pride and a little touch of love. The ice between us is breaking, bit by bit. He's no more being that familiar stranger... More like a renewed acquaintance.
And today, after years... When he left my house, he told me bye. Never has he greeted me in so long.
I'm earning my brother back. Thanks to these beasts. He gave me Fudge, what else could I ask for? He trusted me with the responsibility of his friend's cat who found his way to my heart, and my life, and is keeping the abyss at bay.
Beast by beast... Our friendship grows.
 |
| Spice used to sit like this, and wait.... |
 |
| "Hello, now let me just fly... or try to.." |
 |
| My Favourite pic of Spice ^_^ |
 |
| A bird awaits the wind |
 |
| Tired after a meal. |
 |
| Dusk |
 |
Beautiful plumage
After fifteen days in our care, he finally flew away. :) |
