Dear Reader

Before we get on about pigeons and gratitude, I'm announcing here, that book 1, Thing FIRST CONTACT, is FREE to download on Amazon starting today, August 2nd, through Tuesday, August 5th. Click on the link and start your journey with Jason (if you haven't already), on a journey through the fabric of time!

OK... "Why a pigeon, of all things," you ask. "I thought The THING Trilogy was about science fiction!" Let me be clear...if it wasn't obvious before. The THING Trilogy is about the human journey, a story told within the framework of science fiction. Why! Because sci-fi offers greater latitude to explore that journey. And what if? And what it means to be Human, what destiny might bring, why we even exist...and why a pigeon might offer some clues!

Now on to 'Pidgey's' journey with the human beings...one in particular!

Pidgey...yes that's what I called the pigeon, not aware there were such creatures in Pokémon Go. Not that it mattered! But why even tell a story about a pigeon? Well it's about gratitude and the lessons that life teaches. lessons learned and shared with a fellow creature.

One evening in early July, 2017, my youngest daughter, home from college and soon to go away with her mother to spend 6 weeks with grandma and grandpa...came home with a wounded bird. A pigeon...with damaged wing and leg, found on the sidewalk that evening, in downtown Glenwood Springs, a neighboring town. "But Papa, I couldn't just leave it there!" she said, as I grumbled. "What about diseases...whose gunna take care of it...?" Two days later they were gone!

It had a contused wing splayed out from its body, and a leg that it couldn't stand on. Totally helpless! Out in the sunroom they had fixed up a box with a cloth, a small plastic container with water and some sunflower seeds spread under its beak. I looked down at this poor thing. Forlorn! They were gone! I let out a deep sigh, "Well Pidgey, I guess its you and me." And that's how it was. Oh sure, we'd had gerbils...and a deer mouse...found hairless, eyes closed, naked as a newborn by my wife on the bike path one hot day. Deer mouse, famous for harboring hantavirus and lyme disease. Now resting peacefully, nursed, and grown to old age as had the gerbils, there in the little graveyard in the planter out back. Oh dear, I thought, at least I should try!

And try I did...more than try! I made sure Pidgey had water, seeds and raisins in the cap of a salsa jar, changed the soiled cloth and watched. Time went by. We got used to each other. Pidgey's wing gradually assumed its rightful place tucked in along the body just like the other. The leg came along too and one day I found Pidgey standing on two legs. And the next day out of the box standing on the floor of the sunroom. Pidgey's reserve never went completely away...kept an eye on me. I was careful when I had to move him/her...never knew which. I sat and talked to Pidgey often!

Pidgey was getting in and out of the box on its own and one day I said, "Well Pidgey, when are you going to show me you can fly?" And the very next morning when I went to check...there was Pidgey, up on the lamp hanging over the dining table in the sunroom. "Gee," I said, "you can fly!" I decided I would open the French doors out to the patio. Now or never, I thought and went away. But when I came back expecting Pidgey to be gone... Pidgey was still there!

It became obvious after a while that Pidgey was stuck. Couldn't fly off the lamp. "Pidgey," I said, "I'm going to take this broom and tilt the lamp. I did. Flapping ensued...flight...right into a window! More flapping, fluttering, more windows...now coaxing with the broom...and finally out the doorway. And now perched on the edge of the compost pit. I watched! And watched some more. "Pidgey," I said, "up-in-the-tree! Well, it took a while. I kept an eye out for the neighbors cats. After a time with some more coaxing, Pidgey made it to a branch and then to the wires along the alley...

And then to the tippy-top of the neighbors blue spruce. At that moment it was hard to say what I felt. Relief of course, but there was something else. Couldn't say just what? Pidgey flew away with some doves...and I thought, that's that!

But several days later I heard a sound from the entryway...and there was Pidgey looking through the window. I slipped on my loafers, went out on the porch and sat.

Pidgey flew around and landed there in front and walked towards me. Sound legs, sound wings! "Well Pidgey, you came to say hello?" Pidgey, looking at me, I looking back...talking to someone I never thought I would see again. We were like that for a time...like old friends. I don't know how long...or even how it ended. But when it did, I finally understood. It was goodbye...with Gratitude!

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All for now, but remember: Thing FIRST CONTACT, FREE on Amazon, August 2 through 5th. Join the journey!

Still can't decide? Click here, and go to Goodreads and read some awesome reviews.

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If you are new to the Newsletter, check out the Newsletter Archive at: https://kendall-williams-author.kit.com/posts

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Quote from Roger Tory Peterson: "The truth of the matter is, the birds could very well live without us, but many -- perhaps all -- of us would find life incomplete, indeed almost intolerable without the birds."

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Until next time, be well and safe journeys.

Sincerely,

Kendall Williams, Author

​kendallwilliamsauthor.com​

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