The green bird was on the black doormat of a convenience store near Pike and 2nd. The bird stood stock-still on tiny legs. The bottom of the bird looked a little like a tennis ball on toothpicks. The bird looked into the store but did not move or make a sound. It was transfixed. What the devil?

The store employee, an Asian gentleman, tried to shoo it out of its disturbing immobility. The bird was unmoved by the shooing. We three brothers appeared, saw the bird's strange behavior, and tried to bring it to its senses with other means. I stamped my feet; he talked to it ("come on now, it's time to go"); the other gave it a nudge with a plastic bottle. The bird wanted none of it. The bird was here to stay.