Danny Bird

Jim Doesn't Hate Danny

Julie was strategic in her timing
She did not have Danny come over
for another week
She told him that they were going out
for hardware supplies
and it would be a few hours
before they got back
Jim obliged
because Danny had not told her about
their trip
He still disliked Julie
but he didn’t mind taking Danny
if he could get her out of the house

This time they went to the park
It was a sunny day
but it was still cold
Danny didn’t seem to mind
She dragged Jim to the playground
where he sat on the bench
Danny wanted to talk to the other kids
but their mothers didn’t want them
talking to her
with her full face of makeup
lipstick
mascara
thick foundation
to go with her kitten winter wear
He hadn’t asked Julie about it
but she got odd looks at the store
and odd looks here

She did not seem to notice
that she was being avoided
Instead
she was thrilled that she had the slide
to herself
“Look
Mr. Jim
I’m going”
she cried
She ran across the equipment
and tried to balance on the roots of trees
She was happy
and she did not want to go home
but her parents would be there soon

When they got to the house
Jim gave her one of his books
It was on birds
with a page bookmarked
“That’s a whippoorwill”
Jim told her
“It’s not very pretty”
she said
“But it sounds pretty”
Jim pointed to the map
“And they live here
too”
“Do you think I could hear one tonight?”
asked Danny
“Maybe in summer
if you keep your window open”
“Mom and Dad don’t want me
to keep my window open”
she grumbled
“Well
then I don’t know”
Jim said

When Matt came to pick her up
Danny had the book with her
“What’s that?”
asked Matt
“A book on birds
I heard she likes them”
“Oh
that’s fine
She has plenty of good books at home
She can leave this one here”
Matt said
“I don’t mind
I never read any of them
anymore”
Jim assured him

But Matt insisted
“Keep it
please
I won’t take it from you”
“It’s for Danny
Matt”
Matt shook his head
and took the book from Danny
He gave it to Jim
“She doesn’t need it”
he said
And led her home again

Jim put the book back on the shelf
He would get it to Danny
eventually
or she could read it there
So far he and Matt hadn’t hit it off
like the Rices had hoped
But he was nicer to them the next Saturday