A ROAD TRIP FROM THE VIEW OF A PIGEON

Sunny day. Red dust. Heat distorts the horizon. Bit of shrub. Calvin bobbed over to the flock, down feathers occasionally exposed in gusts of wind. “Hey guys, how’s it going?” A chorus of cooed greetings. “Yeah, not too bad, Cal. We got some primo grass seeds in the mix today.” “True! Let me at ‘em. Nudge over will ya?” Peck. Peck peck. Peck peck peck. Rumbling. The seeds start to jump. “Hey, my food’s alive! What the hell is happening?!” Some of the flock clumsily take flight at the sight of their animated lunch. Others tuck in to the good seed their mates have left behind. As Cal decides whether to flee or feast, he notices the rumbling getting closer. And closer, fast. Cal turns around and sees an enormous, silver…pigeon? “Aaaaargh!” Panicked, the flock takes flight in all directions. Cal chooses the wrong direction. *** Splat! “Oh no, we hit one didn’t we?” “Yeah, it didn’t make it.” “Poor bugger. We’ll need to make sure it isn’t stuck in the grill when we stop.” “Yeah, I know. Sorry, I couldn’t swerve.” “Road trip death toll: One pigeon. Let’s try not to increase the statistic. Poor little bugger.”

Phoebe Robinson is the undergraduate editor and has just road tripped down to Bairnsdale, VIC with her boyfriend to live for a few months. Luckily, the car only broke down twice. Perhaps it was the pigeon’s revenge.