The Search for a Blue Bird(Texasjane) Looking out my window today at the pecan tree with the blue sky and sunshine reminded me of another day just like this one. Today reminds me of a day when I was searching for a special bluebird. My grandmother had a huge pecan tree in the middle of her backyard. That looked like the place to start my search. I was about halfway up the pecan tree looking for a bird. Not just any bird would do. This one was bluebird had been talking to my grandmother about me. This bird was a tattletale.

The day before she asked me to go to the corner store (4 blocks away) and pick up some bread. I got the bread then on the way home I saw a dog. She was solid black and very sweet. I opened the bread and she gobbled up 4 slices. I talked to her and coaxed her with the bread all the way home. I knew if I just walked in with her I would be told to take her back where I found her so the owner could get her. Since I found her nowhere near any homes, I knew she had no owner. So, what to do?

I finally decided I would go through the alley behind our block. I got to our back gate. I proceeded (with the lid of the trash can) to carefully dig a hole under the fence. I then left the rest of the entire loaf of bread right at the hole and tossed a few pieces through the chain link to the inside of the yard. I ran as fast as I could around the front of the block. I did not bother going into the house. Instead, I went down the drive and through to the backyard. I got there just in time. She was trying to reach the bread on the inside of the yard. I got a hold of her front paws and pulled her through. She gobbled up the bread and I was delighted that my idea had worked. I gave her a quick kiss and ran back through the gate to the front of the house.

I was huffing and puffing when I got inside. I told my grandmother (before she could ask) that I had dropped the bread and it had gotten eaten by a stray dog. I was very pleased with myself for not having to lie. We suddenly heard scratching and whining coming from the back door.

My grandmother took me by the hand and we both went into the kitchen to the laundry room, to the back door. There was my new little friend smiling on the back step. Grandmother asked me; "Where did that come from?" I again was pleased that I did not have to lie. I proceeded to point out the hole under the back gate.

"She must have come in under the gate."

Grandmother proceeded to tell me that she thought I brought the dog home, fed her the bread, and pulled her through the hole. She was going to report to my mother when she got home from work. I looked at my grandmother's face. I then asked, "How did you know?"

"A little bird told me, a little blue bird told me. You will be punished."

I reminded her I had not told a lie. She grinned and said, "No you did not lie but the truth you told was not the whole story either."

I spent most of that summer making sure the blue jays stayed out of the yard. I remember watching grandmother giggling a little as she watched me.

Years later I found out that Grandmother had been looking out the breakfast room window and watched me dig the hole, run back into the yard and pull the dog through. She and my mother laughed about it. I was punished. We kept Lucy (even after she delivered 13 puppies) until she passed away with snow-white on her snout and around her eyes. Yes, the pecan tree takes me back.

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