Blue Heron

As the suns warmth beamed through the window I awakened from another nights rest. Squinted my eyes and my five senses alerted me to another beautiful bright spring day. My tummy grumbling as I mumbled; "Good morning mom." She cheerfully asked, " Would you like a bowl of fruit?" I said "Sure!" Walked into living room to sit on the couch and start watching the Price is Right, as it was usually on every morning. Shortly, after I got comfortable she brought in the spring colored fruit which perked me up. I picked the fruit up with my fingers and ate it piece by piece. My ears heighten as I heard a hiss. "Mom" I cried out. Turning my interested from the television to the bowl of fruit I am frighten and do not know what to do. A snake is coiled in the bowl and heads popping out. I handed the bowl to my mom and she handled the snake from there. I thought later what a cruel joke the snake seemed so life like. It just happened so fast I had little time to think about it at the time. I went along with the day playing and doing my usual activities.

Easter Day was tomorrow and excited from the night before, I awoken from my slumber groggy. Opening my closet door was the Easter Bunny, I blinked my eyes to settle the thought that a bunny is hopping through my room. It was nothing, just my imagination playing tricks on my mind still startled from the morning before and the snake hissing at me. My sister Val was already awake and asked, "Colleen, Do you want help finding your Easter basket?" I said, "Sure." Val was happy Easter Sunday was here. The night before she had wrote in her little black book about what she hoped to find in her Easter basket. We both got new Easter dresses hand made from grandma. My sister got a beautiful blue dress and I Colleen got a yellow dress. Our other siblings searched for their baskets while Val and I tasted our chocolate Easter bunny candy.

Years passed and these wild sightings never happened again. Kids have wild imaginations so I guessed it was normal. I went to visit my sister as she moved out of our parents house and bought her first home. She invited me for spaghetti dinner. I arrived and she was still working in the kitchen. So, I sat down in the guest area and looked around at the décor and chatted with her from the other room. Noticing she still had a little black book under her coffee table. I kneeled down to reach under the table and get it. I started reading about her life and read her and my boyfriend Michael started playing tennis together. I said nothing, as she came charging in the room and said, "Do not read that book it's mine." I asked, "Why did you leave it out if you do not want people to read it?" We ate silently, just feeling tension.

Michael joined the Army to my surprise weeks after I found out he was having a relationship with Val. I knew he was seeing Val but said nothing for he did not even tell me he was joining the military he just signed up. Two weeks passed and he shipped out. I was upset so I started talking to an ex-boyfriend Jay who moved out of state year before I met Michael. He said he was coming home for the summer, so we decided to met up. Jay would go back to the Golden state of California after summer. A short fling would not hurt anything. Heck Michael was basically doing the same thing right in front of my eyes; at least I waited for him to leave. I felt better and did what every young adult does in the summer hiked, swam, and fished.

Summer ended and little did I talk to my sister. Eventually, I told Val I read your little black book and seen you and Michael had been seeing each other and playing tennis together. "Seems like you both like each other." I said. Val assured me she would never hurt or do anything that would harm our sisterly relationship, she loves me. She said, "Believe me I wanted to kiss him but knew not to push those limits." Val and Michael had talked one day while at our parents house and found they out they both like tennis so decided to meet up and play. I was never into tennis anyways it took my breath away. I asked "Why did you get so mad when you seen me reading in the little black book than?" She replied, "It's my everyday life and things I do not want others to know about me and how I feel. Val said, "Let's meet at three pipes tomorrow and see whos around and chat with the locals.

Arriving on the dirt road that three pipes run through which lead to our parents house. I spotted a blue heron in the creek eating a fish. Just as I got out of the car it flew away. Val arrived ten minutes later. Meanwhile, I had went to talk to Joe a old man who raced cars for a living because he was getting old and he liked to tell stories from his past. He was already their drinking his morning beer at his favorite spot along the creek. I told him, "That was a big magnificent bird he got to watch eat its breakfast." Joe agreed. Val knocked on the window and I opened the door. "Hey" I said to Val. She asked a strange question, "Have you heard from Michael since he left?" I said, "No." Val said, "Michael was just in the area I seen him twenty minutes ago and he asked me to give you this." Val opened her purse and reached for her little black book. A few pages from her black book she handed me folded inside was $20,000 cash. Val wrote Michael is an angel in your life Colleen. He can shift shapes in between the world he lives and ours. Be careful of feelings that come from my writing you this letter.

The snake, bunny, and blue heron were all animals you could visually see. That was how Michael enter our world before he shape change to being a human. Michael enjoys our world as he does his own. His main objective was to build friendships and help those who needed it. I am not a hundred percent sure why he gave me the money; except for the fact he wanted me to buy a house. So, I bought a trailer near the coast with a creek running through the back yard. Every year the blue heron find time to visit me. Find comfort in the creek and I notice him while he noticed me. Never let jealousy get between you and the spirit as you know life is hard for all humans. People get hurt by letting what someone else does, affect their decisions. The fling will never compare to Michaels magnificent wings. I am sure it hurt the both of us but keeping our friendship is really important.

I have now moved on with my life and moved to the city. Michael flew by when I moved to Salem. He soared high in the sky. I thought, "Will we see each other every year like usual?" I do not know the answer to that. Except within a few miles there is a river front park protected for wild life. I guess it's time I check on him. As Michael knows where I am, I know where he can go for protection, and the unexpected visits are left to him. I will never know when or where I will see him. All I do know is I care and think about it as I walk the riverfront in the spring. I do not want our relationship to end with pages torn from a book.