At home: protection.....x

The soot left and tiny bird came....

Every door, flung open. A misty cloud of soot filled the downstairs. A sweep climbed up inside the wide chimney cavity above the wood burner. He's a lanky chap, built for his profession. Skinny not small.

He climbed down, smiled a sooty grin. Swigged his tea, his blackened fingers leaving perfect finger prints on the mug. "Thats it then, its all gone"...

This evening a tiny bird fluttered in. Mouse like and tiny. Too early in the year to be a fledgling, surely? Sam quickly gathered it up. His hands dwarfing the little bird. I thought for a moment how quickly that protective instinct ran over him. The overwhelming need to hold, gather, bundle up and protect. Filmic mages of 'Kes' ran through my mind. The boy 'Billy', a weakling child, a bullied child protecting another weaker species from the harsh world.

I said to Sam, "take it outside". "It will die", he says. A soot filled house or take your chances in the cold fresh air. It scurried away. Faster than a mouse. Small, but mighty. Worry not Sam.....x