8 Nov 2024
One morning I stepped out back to enjoy some smokes and feel a breeze. The season was changing and I was to hear what it was saying. I’d left the screen door to the deck enclosure wide open when I walked down to the grass, however, I didn’t realize I’d done so until I walked back up and noticed a red cardinal [male] in my company. I was startled a bit by his presence because of how swift he was flying around the deck. He was erratic because to him, he was stuck. I left the deck because I felt my presence might be a supposed threat to him, and I wanted him to focus solely on his freedom. At first, I walked in and out the door, thinking this may give him an idea as to how he should make his exit… he did not follow. I went along back to the yard, finishing my tobacco and looking up every one in a while to see if any progress towards his escape had been made. I took notice of how he didn’t make any noise… no out loud, blatant cry for help. I took this as a safety precaution on his end. The deck enclosure was none other than a box setup with four screens on each of the four sides, separated by wooden panels. He flew from screen to screen, always starting back where he started as soon as he made it to the screen directly beside the open door. He simply wouldn’t take that one extra leap to free himself — I wondered, “Why?”
I began to pay less attention to his dilemma due to the fact that I knew this was a trek he was facing alone — he’d get there when he gets there. That was, until I saw another cardinal [his wife] enter the deck with him without him even making as much as a peep. I was once again captivated by the interaction, so I watched for a little while. I noticed on her first go round of an escape attempt, she did the same thing he did, but by her second attempt, she was free. Her calculations were swift and sharp. Now I posed the question to myself, will he take note and follow her to freedom… he did not… at first. It took him several more tries and respite periods before he escaped, but when he did escape, I didn’t even see it with my own eyes… I just saw the proof. I missed this action because after her appearance, I was intrigued by the natural phenomena that played out in front of me. Once she found him, she never left his area. She went into the Juniper tree, I guess looking for food or just to duck off for a minute, then came back. She flew over the house, into the crepe Myrtles, and through the Maples, but always came back and landed on the railing directly outside of the open door checking on his progress and chirping [maybe one to two chirps each visit]. She never completely left his side. I did a quick search to see if cardinals were monogamous creatures… they are, so that explained it.
I had finished my tobacco and began walking towards to stairs to take me back inside when I noticed the male cardinal outside of the enclosure and on the roof. She flew to his side, and they took off. Together. Reminiscing on what had just been shown, and how flustered he had been before his wife showed face, I wondered how he would’ve gone about his escape without her presence and sense of cardinal direction. It seemed her demonstration and consistent motivations was the only way out. At least that’s what it looked like to me… the only way out, is through her.
Late October, my younger cousin showed me how chess pieces moved across a board, and we played for days. Quickly, my favorite piece was the Queen, but as I played on I realized how she and the Knight were a different kind of force when moved as a unit. Together they could control the board. Both intimidating, both could touch all colors. Both bold. The similarities between the two made me realize why she waited for her red cardinal Knight. Why the Queen displays such loyalty to her one Knight and vice versa, and together they make everything move behind the scenes. I realized why a Knight would never leave her side whilst relentlessly slaying for her, and why the Queen would protect him to the end… so soft and patient with him. They are the only two who can clear an entire board and touch each space, legally and swiftly, while the Queen, like the red Cardinal’s wife, could cover more space at once. Other pieces could make power plays and sneak up on you if enough attention isn’t paid, however, they’re all [rook, bishop] played like pawns because any default pawns can be sacrificed for their revision off play technicality. The loss of a Queen or Knight requires the change of an entire game plan. Together they are, my liege.
shayla
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