Birdsongs Read Online Free PDF Page A

the center of town. His belongings were in a large gunnysack draped over his shoulder. He previously used it on the farm to transport grains. When his heart stopped racing and he had the ability to take a few steady breaths, he raised his eyes from his feet and stopped. In front of him stood a quaint little house accompanied by a peculiar red picket fence. Although it did not look like one, Red supposed that it was this town’s version of a fire station. The fire station in his hometown was an insignificant brick building painted red. He wondered where the trucks were. There was only a single vehicle, a Jeep, in the driveway. At any rate, he needed help and he decided to knock on the door.
        Benny heard the knock as he gathered the remaining articles of his preferred clothing that were not already on the boat. He thought it must be a salesperson, Girl Scout, or nosey neighbor. When he answered the door, he knew it was none of the above and he stood perplexed in silence as he and his new acquaintance gazed at each other, both with confusion. After a long, strange and uncomfortable silence felt by both men, Benny broke the standoff by asking, “Can I help you?”
        “Fire,” Red said with his verbal dearth immediately noticeable.
        Benny’s first thought was a special education student had wandered away from the nearby high school. He studied him for a moment and decided this person was not a student, as he resembled a young man a bit older than a high school student. He had dark, inquisitive, worried eyes. Unkempt, long brown hair fell on his muscular shoulders. He was lanky, but firm. His skin tone revealed he spent most of his life under the sun. He was handsome in an odd country way and Benny decided that he looked like a redneck lifeguard. Now even more confused Benny asked hesitantly, “Where?”
        “Fire here,” Red said, meaning it to be a question. His intonation made his inquiry sound like a statement. Red pointed at the red picket fence and said, “Red fence. Fire.”
        “Oh,” Benny said. “You think this is a fire station?”
        “Yeah,” Red answered as his eyebrows rose displaying the glee of his successful communication. “You fire man.” Once again, Red meant this as a question and yet again, it sounded adversely.
        Benny thought about the picket fence and how it drew in the kid. Drawn to bizarre occurrences and the oftentimes deeper meaning accompanying peculiar events, Benny decided not to turn the kid away just yet and asked, “What’s your name kid?”
        “Red.”
        “I know you saw the red fence, what – is – your – name -?” Benny asked as though he were questioning a non-English speaker.
        “Red. Red Jasper.”
        “This is too much,” Benny said. The red fence that perplexed him and a kid named Red standing on his front porch was just too weird. Something definitely needed to be examined further Benny thought. “Come inside Red,” Benny said as he waved Red into the house. Benny gestured the universal sign for drink as he asked, “Can I get you a drink? All I have is ice water.” Red shook his head yes. “I’ll be right back. Have a seat there on the couch,” Benny said pointing.
        When Benny walked back into the room with the water, Red sat on the couch with his gunnysack at his feet and Jezebel sat in his lap. Red gently scratched her head and she purred and bobbed her head up and down as to say, “Don’t stop.” Benny stopped mid-stride in disbelief, as the cat had never done this to him or any of his other guests. “Did you pick her up?” Benny asked.
        “No,” Red stated. “You little zebra jump up.”
        Benny cautiously handed Red the glass of water in an attempt to keep from spooking Jezebel and said, “By the way, my name is Benny.”
        “Thank you Bendy,” Red said taking a drink.
        “You’re not from around here are you?” Benny asked.
        “Red