CHAPTER EIGHTY-FOUR —Because nature speaks to us

Life happens to everyone, whether we like it or not. It brings changes. Some changes are drastic and unexpected. Others come steadily. It was the latter for Joan Sparke. That lovely Friday evening, she woke up to a shriek from outside. At first, she had been too sleepy to check it out. So, she simply turned in her bed, hissed and continued with her sleep. It was just daybreak, she told herself. A little more sleep, and she would get up. That was the plan. Unfortunately, even plans change.

Joan barely slept a few minutes when she suddenly jumped out of bed. She remembered just as she was about drifting off to another sleep that a sound had awoken her, and it wasn’t a good sound. The shriek had been from an ominous bird. A sound her mother detested so much when she was little. She asked her sometime when she was just maybe eleven. “Why do you hate that sound so much, Mami?”

“Haven’t you been paying attention?” her mother asked. “Each time that bird cries, something terrible happens.” was her curt reply. She was busy with the clothes she had just brought in from the line outside. Eleven-year-old Joan had stood up to join her.

“How do you mean, Mami?”

“I was taught to read weather, birds.” she explained. “Whenever that bird cries, something unfortunate happens.” she added, “Let’s see what happens today.”

“Does the bird say who this unfortunate thing happens to?” the little girl had asked, finding it amusing.

“It depends. Sometimes they happen directly to the person listening to them. And sometimes, they warn the person of an impending doom befalling a close relative.”

That day, Joan Sparke would realize her mother knew just what she was talking about. Because no sooner had she said it than they received a call. Her paternal grandma had passed away. Since then, she has particularly taken a shine to birds. They fascinated her. It wasn’t strange for her at all to speak with them. When they cooed back, she chuckled and responded with ardent vigor. They were her friends even when the people around her didn’t understand. Everyone called her weird for that, and she didn’t mind that they did.

Her weirdness is reflected in the things she does. Even her home was weird. Not that she saw this. But her neighbors and people around her knew this. “I mean, the girl lived with birds.” her next-door neighbor was prone to say. “She talks with them like humans.” she would shiver like that was an unpardonable offense. Nobody could understand while such a pretty lady would move into an apartment where birds lived. The agent had been skeptical when she showed her the place, thinking she was going to turn it down like others. What drove off all his clients was what made her take the place to his surprise.

“You really when to?” the agent had asked, looking at the pretty lady weirdly. Now that he was seeing her, he saw she was different. Her dressing was odd too. With a shrug, he signed the deed, and she took the apartment.

What the people didn’t know was Joan loved birds. They speak to her. They were her friends. They talked. But only their friends listen. And she was their friend.

Now, haven heard that cry, Joan lost her sleep. The sudden jump from the bed was because the bird had just sung of impending doom. Lazily getting off the bed, she dragged her feet as she dashed for the bathroom. It wasn’t 6.00 like she had thought. It was already 7.35. Her work starts at 8.00. The cabman took forty minutes to drive her to the office. And she hadn’t even had her bath yet. Her lateness was inevitable. Thankfully, her boss was away. He traveled last week, and though he was due back this week, he had moved his flight to the following week. He claimed that there were some issues to resolve. Still, Joan knew not to go to work late. She had a cunny boss. He might send one of his relatives to go check her up.

It was something he regularly did. Whenever he traveled, she noticed how one of his relatives always seemed to be around at that precise moment. She didn’t see it at first. It was the secretary who pointed it out to them. “Are you saying he’s doing it on purpose?” she asked when the lady had voiced her opinion.

“You just pay close attention.”

And she did. The next time their boss traveled, his sister waltzed in with an excuse that she wanted her files sorted. This sister had someone who does that. But she had chosen that period to use their company for that assignment. And she stayed until her boss returned, always coming back for one correction or the other. She exchanged looks with the secretary the last day she arrived. There was really nothing to work on. But the lady insisted they help check for errors. That was the day her boss returned. His sister never visited the next day.

When the shrill sound of her phone interrupted her thoughts, Joan slurred, “I’m in for it” she gasped as the cold water cut through her skin like a sharpened knife. She couldn’t heat water now, or she’d be extra late. Rushing her bath was the only option. She toweled hurriedly, applied her cream, and did a little makeup. At 8 a.m., she was out of the apartment. She ran into her neighbor and waved as the kind older woman wanted to stay and chat. Not today, she said under her breath and walked away.

While stepping out, she ordered Uber, and waited anxiously for him to arrive. Checking her wristwatch for the umpteenth time, she sighed when he finally showed up. They hit the highway, and the journey became slow. “Can we speed up?” Joan pleaded with the driver. It wasn’t strange that the traffic was heavy. Because of the holidays, the number of residents in Texas had increased. The place was fuller, and traffic was becoming unbearable in many areas.

“It’s the frigging car right in front of me.” cussed the driver. With his hand placed permanently on the steering wheel, he honked repeatedly.

“Okay, not to worry.” she began to calm down the man before he did something irrational. Drop me first, and you can fight all you want, she mused to herself as she rechecked the time. It was 9. am already.

By the time they got to her office, it was almost 9.30. Joan sighed, paid the man and dashed for the elevator, which was about closing. “Please, hold on for me.” she yelled as she scrambled for it. She saw a hand quickly push back the closing door, and she ran in gratefully. “Thank you, Nick.” she smiled at the man who was also a coworker but not for her boss. They just worked on the same floor.

“We’re late.” Nick said close to her ears. Just like Joan, he was to resume work by 8. a.m “Yes, we are.” she smiled shakily at the guy who was consistently hitting on her. Today, he looked astonishing in his lovely blue shirt on the black trousers. Looking away from him, she smiled shakily at the other passenger in the elevator. A young lady clung to her man. And there were two other ladies busy chatting about only God knows what.

“I heard your boss traveled” Nick said again.

“Yes.” she replied rashly.

“Then you couldn’t be in any trouble.” Nick said, jokingly.

Joan rolled her eyes. She wished that were true. Her boss’ absence meant some relative was visiting. She wondered who. Hopefully, it wasn’t going to be his nosy mother. That was worse. The woman could frustrate anyone with her incessant demands. And she was never pleased with whatever was done for her. If she was the one visiting, she was in trouble, especially now that she was late. With a sad smile, she replied Nick, “Hopefully.”

“I’ll swing by and bring you coffee, okay?”

The elevator door opened then. Joan stepped out gratefully, as did Nick. “Okay.” she nodded, then increased her pace as she walked into her office. The secretary was in her seat, so she walked over to her. “Hey.” she greeted.

“Where have you been?” asked the secretary, looking around anxiously. “I called severally and even left a message.”

“You did?” Joan asked, taking out her purse. She started looking for the phone. “It’s not in my bag.” she said, haven searched everywhere.

“That must have been the reason you didn’t pick up.”

“Can you please help me call the line? I cannot lose it now. There’s somewhere I gotta after work.”

The lady helped call the line, “It’s ringing.” she told her, “But no one’s answering.”

“I must have left it at home.” she said to the lady, hoping that was the case. She remembered work, “Who came this time?”

“Nobody, Joan. He’s back.”

“Who?” she asked, feeling suddenly cold.

Their boss walked in at that moment with a mischievous grin. “Oh, Joan.” he said and turned to the secretary. “Did you type it out yet?”

The secretary nodded with a shudder. Bringing out a white envelope, she gave her boss, and looked apologetically at Joan. ‘I’m sorry,’ she mouthed.

“Good, here.” the boss collected the letter from his secretary and handed it to the latecomer. “You…” saying nothing, he flung the envelope at her and walked back to his office.

Joan took the envelope with a shiver just as the bird’s ominous cry, which she had heard that morning, started ringing in her ears. She had known something terrible was about to happen, just as she knew without opening the letter that the content in there wasn’t something she would like. With shaky hands, she opened the letter. The heading was the first thing she checked. “I’ve just lost my job.” she gasped.

While Joan was mourning the loss of her job, Bonnie and Clyde were busy catching fun in Texas. They had just discovered another funhouse. The two men walked with confidence into the diner. It was a special one with a backstage pleasure room for those who could afford it. They watched the strippers dancing with amusement and knew the backstage held something better. “What do you say?” James asked his friend.

“I think it will be fun.” replied his friend, Judah.

With a flip of his finger, a waiter rushed towards him. James began his inquiry then. “What’s for us in backstage?”

The man did a quick look over of them, checking out their worth. The backstage fee was exorbitant, and only a few could afford it. Bringing out the menu, he handed it over. “That’s what we do.” he said almost in a whisper. The men collected the card menu and nodded. When they handed it over, he asked, “Would you still be interested? Let me know.”

Judah dragged him back, “Here, bill it. we’re here for fun.”

“Well then.” smiled the waiter, “I’ll get you the right man for the job” he winked as he strolled to the counter. He leaned over then whispered to the man there. Pointing to the men standing in the center of the room, he called over the men.

“And who might you be?”

“Bonnie and Clyde.” Judah said simply. Beside him, his friend laughed harshly. “It’s a pity our middle man is a bit distracted now.” he said to him. He was talking about Damian, who had run out on them yesterday and wouldn’t see them today too. He hadn’t been to the office when they called his office, and he had been unreachable since.

“His loss.” James replied unperturbed.

“Nah, you’re not getting the bigger picture.” his friend pointed out, “The man has a girl, and he’s trying to do good by her.”

“Is that your theory?”

“Yes.” Judah insisted, “Why else would any man want to change?”

“Because he’s tired and doesn’t want that life anymore?” said James, “Someday, you and I would get tired of all this and want to settle down nicely with a hot lady. Good legs. Clean skin…”

“Not me.” Judah cut into his dreamy thoughts. “I could never get tired of having fun.” He told his friend quite frankly.