Do Birds Laugh at Jokes?

I once practiced being a clown when I was young, up until now.

Now, older than ever before, I putter around the house and observe things from a mighty distance; withholding judgement has become the hallmark of my practice. I can honestly say however that the manifest destiny of our collective guilt has become increasingly obvious to me--and it’s not a pretty picture! Why haven’t we followed in Machiavelli’s footsteps, that honesty is the best policy’?

It’s not that little birds come to me and eat homemade granola out of my hands--I’m not that spiritual. I do know some of these little creatures quite well by now and am able to call them by their proper names--Golden Crown Sparrow, American Robin, House Finch--but seriously question the notion that little birds would come to me even if I went outdoors and held out both my arms in a kind of symbolic welcoming. Surely the smallest among them are well aware that the larger birds are almost always circling overhead…

From now on there’s no more clowning around, no more taking part in this pipedream of American history, past and present. I’m now a proud citizen of bird world where having wings is in my future.