AND SHE MEANT ‘LEAVE MY BABY ALONE!’

The summer clouds swirled above as I began my evening stroll in the not-so-wide open spaces.

‘Caw!’

Something had made a soft, shrill noise from the ground. Something small, furry and jet black. It was a baby crow sitting on the roadside.

‘Caw!’

I liked the sound which it was making and simply loved the way it opened its beak. I decided to record this encounter on my phone. While recording, I heard some crows cawing. I was so busy I didn’t realize that something a lot bigger than the baby crow was headed straight for me. I registered a slight pain in the neck region.

‘Hey!’

‘CAW!’

Quite immediately I interpreted the caw as ‘Leave my baby alone!’ It was the mother crow, enraged and undaunted. I realized the baby crow must have fallen from its nest and was not able to fly back. The mother crow was fiercely guarding her baby from any and every perceivable threat. Being a mother myself I was enthralled by her spirit. What a courageous mother! I wanted to tell her that she was doing a wonderful job, but undoubtedly she wouldn’t understand my language. And hence I continued my evening promenade.

As the sun completed its course across the sky, the clouds turned a deep orange. Twilight descended on the city, and one by one the city lights started to come into existence. I completed my excursion and head back to my abode.

A car slowed down with a low rumble, reversed a bit, and went along the edge of the road. It had semicircled about a black fuzzy ball.

‘Caw!’

It was the baby crow, now at the centre of the road. It was in absolute danger of getting crushed by any passing vehicle. The mother crow was sitting on a tree, eyes fixed sharply on me. I lifted the baby crow up and put it on the threshold of a long-closed shop, next to the tree, safe from speeding automobiles. I was expecting the mother crow to give me a peck in the neck again, but was surprised to not even hear a single angry caw. I looked up and saw the mother crow staring back into my eyes. I couldn’t caw and convey but I’m sure she understood that I wanted the baby to be safe. She stood there, calm, unfazed, but still quite alert.

I arrived at my place of residence.
-          Deepali Trivedi


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