Angel

What is that red fluff in the road? Is that a bird? Fuck it, I'm just going to have to be late to work.  I park my car at the community garden and walk about 50 ft.  Sure enough, there is a male cardinal sitting in the road.  "Hey dude, what are you doing here?" He blinks his eye. "You're going to get smooshed."  I carefully scoop up my feathered friend and walk over to the trail.  I set him down on the ground and wish him good luck.  I start for the car and look back.  Birdie is still just sitting there.  Aww-I can't just leave him there.  I'm not sure if he's hurt.     I text my friend and ask him to bring a box and meet me at the community garden.  I wait a couple of minutes.  I walk back over to where I left him and scoop him back up.  He ruffles his feathers a smidge and settles into my palm.  I call my boyfriend and we decide the best thing to do would be to move him into the garden.  I walk around and look for a place.  "Do you want to go in the tree?" "Well if I put you there and your hurt, you won't be able to find food".  I nix that idea.  "If I plant you on the ground, you might not be able to escape if another animal wants you for breakfast."  Meanwhile, birdie has perched himself on my finger and seems very content with me.  I stroke his head.  "That's it! I'm taking you home. You can hang out at my birdfeeder."  With my mind made up, I hurry over to the car.  I reach for the handle-snap! This startles birdie.  He takes flight and lands on a tree branch.  "Bye little birdie, I'll miss you. "