A Sad Thunderbird Story

 

 There was another thunderstorm this afternoon.   All this occurred while we were eating dinner.  

There was a loud crash of thunder, and suddenly I saw a black bird fly across the room.  It disappeared in a weird way.  I mentioned it to Mrs. Billingsley and told her I thought it was a young thunderbird.  You see, thunderbirds fly in front of thunderstorms and use the wind in front of the storm to carry them aloft.  

I told her a story about a boy of around six that was playing in the front yard when a thunderbird swooped down and tried to snatch him with its talons and carry him away.  The mother was watching and rushed outside in time to rescue him from the thunderbird.  The police were called and took a report, documenting the little tyke's talon marks.  

"I think I used to have twelve children," Mrs. Billingsley told me, just as I was trying to swallow my soda.  "The thunderbird got them.  Most of them."   I snorted my drink.  "That's the saddest thunderbird story I ever heard," I said.  

"Why do you think the weather service didn't ask the tornado spotters to come and monitor the storm?" I asked.  "Because every time it rains the spotters think they see a tornado and report it."  "Yeah, those imaginary tornados are very dangerous."