short story

Song Bird

Once upon a time, on the 18th of December 1993,as soon as the morning had broken, I started to stroll peacefully along the yellowish green grassland of Green Bay Golf Course near NewLyn of Auckland, New Zealand. A yellow beak bird chirped suddenly as she flew right above my right ear. Chirp,chirp'.........'chirp,chirp,chirp,chirp' the 2 to 4 rhythm song of high pitch semitone around A sharp was very special and refresh my morning mond. The bird's singing was as beautiful as my son William's violin music.

Suddenly, I saw John the golfer and the club captain raised both arms and happily shouted with echo vibrating in the valleys of the hilly landscape. He was about 200 yards from me, thus I could see clearly, as if in a slow motion picture , that he dropped his golf club with joy with sudden rerelaxation over his arms and hands.

'Oh my goodness!!....... Oh ! my goodness, hole in one again ' His wife waved to him in slow motion from the club house. . John was carried away by the joy and apparently didnot see his wife's greeting gestures.

' Margaret, I got it. Third time, within 3 months', John turned and smiled then shouted towards his wife.

Margaret walked closer to me with eyes still glued to her beloved husband John. She said, " he got his first hole in one about 30 years ago. We are very very happy that he find a new life in golf again since his hip replacement operation 6 months ago."

I congratulated John for his skill and love for golf. He smile and asked me,'Do you have a good time in this little town in Green Bay?'

" Friendly" I answered indirectly with only one word and approached him with a warm handshake for about 8 seconds.

Then we exchanged information of special dinning places around Green Bay and Titirangi. I bid farewell to John and went back to My friend, Tom's house.

Tom was busy chopping an 8 feet tree which was about 4 feet from the west wing garden gate door. He cut the wood with difficulty since there was only a few tools including a swiss army knife scattered on the arid hard ground near the tree. I looked at the nice green grass around us then asked Tom whether we could borrow a saw from our neighbour Lisa, a graceful lady who shifted from Yorkshire to New Zealand many years ago.

Sun, a optimistic fellow from Fiji greeted us and found the tools we need from Lisa's garden shade. We chopped the tree with ease and then Tom figured out that it was nice to cut the main trunk and branches into short pieces to keep for the fire place. I could visualise the warm fire cloured pinkish red glow on the children's face during Christmas as we sat around the fire place with food and chilled ice-wine. We completed our task of clearing the leaves and the whole area in 3 hours time.

The next afternoon, Sam, knocked at our door with quick moderate knocking force like a wood pecker. It sounded also a little like the children knocked on the door synchronised with high pitch voices of 'Trick-kor-Treat ?' As soon we opened the door, we saw Sun's worrying expression and he related the situation of Lisa."" Lisa is sick, she is really sick and she has not taken any drink nor food today"

'What happen ?' Tom asked Sun

" She keep on saying that the tree is gone, and the bird vanished" Sun almost whispered as if it was a very stange haunted story.

We went to see her with a get well soon card and a basket of flowers. We leaned forward and managed to catch the words she said. She expressed her sorrow of loss when she realised that the 8 feet tree disappeared and that morning, the yellow beak song bird didnot chirp for her as she stared at the empty space from her kitchen window.

' For many months, that beautiful song bird sings for me and awakes me around 6 am during summer especially around Christmas' Lisa wept. Her mind obiously is bonded with the yellow beak song bird. Her mind and soul might flew away like the bird above the wind, a vision stoke my mind. We said a few words to comfort her. In reality, we really felt helpless at that moment.

We didnot hear from Sun nor Lisa the next day. However Sun came and told us that she managed to take some food and drink the previous day. Her condition didnot improve as she is still staying inert in bed.

"Tom" suddenly I got an idea," could we plant a new 8 footer , same type of tea tree about 10 feet away from the gate. That would be ok for you to avoid entrance obstruction and good rnough for Lisa to view the tree, and possible the return of our song bird !!"

We bought a 9 feet tea tree and planted at the place as planned. Planting the tree took us more pain as compare to chopping down the previous tree. It should be worthwhile inspite of the pain and lobour. I told Tom the new hope.

Two days later, Lisa appeared at the garden with wheel chair pushed by Sun. She smiled and shouted good morning to us and she continue to praised the wonderful sunshine of thatspecial summer morning..Christmas was just round the corner.

That Christmas eve. Lisa invited us for party with Turkey in Manuka Honey. She talked alot about the wonderful time not so long ago with her husband Joseph. We were inspired to learn that she had learned alot of skill in wool, needle works. She said briefly that she had no chice at the age of 79, sold half of her land and newly erected town house to fund her husbad's first class hotel like stay and care in an old folk's home.

We were carried away by the Christmas songs, music , good food and tsweetened red wine. Non of us wish to drink more thant a portion of wine that night. We were happy and busy with vivid mind, vision and talking about the bright future. Lisa said

'Let me put on the oldies. I always love the song of true love' She smiled as she walked slowly toward the old fashion HIFI set. she started the song by Simon and G...Bridge over trouble water.'.....bridge over trouble water...it echoed....I will lay me down...

She requested for a chance for a short speech for a group of only 5 including herself. 'The SONG BIRD is my darling. She has beautiful voice' we felt the mood and we smiled too. ' She, the song bird, wakes me up in the monring for every new day. I want to thank you for your heart felt kindness which is very natural and sincere' She smiled with natural wrinkles on her face. She looked very kind, calm, and there was stars in her eyes. The type we have all seen in our loving parents eyes.

short story1 5 am 5th May 2006 at Kuching

Base on true story with fiction modification for names and time-space.

by. James