The Cardinal Rule

So, we have these hedges in our backyard and this cardinal couple decided to build a nest in one of them. Recently, their babies hatched from their eggs and came into the world of my backyard. I know this because I’ve watched them bring food there periodically.

Today was the first time I noticed the babies flying around on their own, parents close-at-wing, of course.

While sitting on the patio next to the sliding glass door, talking to my brother on the phone, I heard this strange flapping - aside from my own lips - and I realized it was one of the youngsters flying around my head.

I launched into full screaming, waving, and whipping my head around as though I was at a Metallica concert, unfortunately for my brother, whose ear may never be the same again.

Then the Cardinal Dad came flying over to see what the fuss was all about and I thought for sure I was going to have an Alfred Hitchcock moment right there on the spot. But he just scurried the baby off and they flew back to the nest together.

I wonder if the Dad is lecturing the chick on the dangers of talking to strangers out there in the wild blue yonder even as I type. I hope for the baby's sake, it’s not considered a cardinal sin in their household.

But even though the cardinal rule may have been broken, I hope to God my neck will be okay - it hurts already.