several weeks ago there was a dead bird outside of my work. it was there for a few days and finally as the weather was becoming more warm, i decided to take it home in a box to bury it. all my coworkers made fun of me, asking me why i am like this. my supervisor teased me as he stood outside with me while i picked up the bird, watching over just incase i panicked. i gently picked up its limp body and placed it in the box.
i texted you, telling you i have a bird in the car that we will have to bury together. you said of course you'd help. you fashioned a cross with twigs and rope. as i was carrying the box, you asked me if people would think we were weird. maybe, i said. but maybe it's stranger to pretend you don't notice the bad things around you. maybe it's scary to be apathetic.
we buried the bird. i treasure the way we treated everything so gently, even the small creatures that people thought were worth ignoring.