Godsome Moment #5: A Bird Named Easter

From Cathy Russell

I still don’t know how I saw it.  Anyone who knows me will tell you that I am notoriously unobservant.  A whole building could disappear from a city block and I might not notice for weeks.  But on that Easter Sunday as I walked down a busy downtown Toronto Street, with my brother Luke, my husband John and my dog Ruby I did notice out of the corner of my eye, a splash of brilliant almost neon yellow on the far side of street.  I kept looking.  What is that- is that a bird?  I asked my brother.  “No I don’t think so, I think it’s just a piece of garbage.”  And then the splash of yellow moved.  I was sure it was a bird- a budgie, and it was in real peril sitting in the road, on the far edge of the bike lane on Sherbourne St.   “Here” I said handing my brother the dog’s leash, and the next thing I knew I had crossed the road, removed my sweater and scooped up a little yellow and green budgie- whom I immediately christened Easter.

We got Easter a box, and some twigs, and gave him some water and some spinach out of my brother’s fridge.  At first we thought he was injured and couldn’t fly- but we discovered how wrong we were when he flew out of the box and landed first on my shoulder, then on Luke’s and then on John’s- chirping happily.  Who knew budgies were so sociable?

Luke, being the man of conscience that he is, put an ad on Craig’s List- Found Budgie, along with a photo, where and when the bird was found and Luke’s e-mail.  The next day, I bought Easter a cage, a couple of perches, some bird food, even some bird toys.  The following morning I took the bird to the vet for a check-up- everything looked good- and I went home sure that my brother now had himself a bird. 

But as it turns out, Easter’s family, a couple of guys in the neighbourhood, were desperately seeking their little feathered friend who is something of an escape artists.  They saw Luke's ad on Craig's List, and they contacted my brother..  After sending some photos to confirm it was the same bird, they came over to be blissfully reunited with their budgie- whose real name turned out to be- and I am not making this up- Cujo.   They reimbursed us for the cage and supplies and the vet visit, and even arranged with the local pet store that Luke can pick out his own budgie for FREE if he ever decides to get one. 

It’s such a great, improbable story of danger, tragic loss and joyful reunion, and extreme gratitude over a three day period- and it all began on Easter Sunday.  Call me crazy, but I just can't say it was coincidence.  Instead, I'd say it was a tiny miracle, a real life, feathered parable of resurrection, and an Easter present I will never forget.