"Colleen" arrived after lunch with a wooden case and a large coffee table book under her arm. Ami still didn't know what to make of the girl. Part of her thought that "Colleen" was a prisoner here in this "hospital" as much as she was, but given more leniency due to her flighty ways; another school of thought returned to make her cautious and regard "Colleen" as a plant, a diversion and an effort to win Ami's trust.
Today's diversion involved several games of backgammon. "Colleen" won three out of five, and promised Ami a rematch the next day. In between games four and five, they rested their minds and "Colleen" proudly and excitedly whipped open the coffee table book. It turned out to be a book of photography, filled with beautiful pictures of colorful tropical and exotic birds.
"Do you like birds?" The girl asked as she spread the book open between the two of them. "What I like most about birds is not their feathers or their beautiful colors, but how free they are. They can circle the world if they wished. Sometimes I'd like to be a bird."
"Are you not free, Colleen?"
"None of us are ever really free, even when we think we're soaring," "Colleen" answered simply. She traced a picture of a brightly colored parrot, "The only way to keep a bird from flying is to clip its wings. They'll keep trying to fly but they never get into the air.
"But we're not like that," the girl's eyes became far away, and though she stared at the book, Ami got the feeling that she wasn't seeing it at all. "Tell us we can't fly, and we'll believe it. We just stop trying, too."
"Colleen" was quiet for a moment before lifting her head. The sadness vanished in an instant and she smiled brightly, "Ready for the tie-breaker?"
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timeasmymeasure
[Ami] Clipped Wings
Date: 2006-08-04 12:06 am (UTC)Today's diversion involved several games of backgammon. "Colleen" won three out of five, and promised Ami a rematch the next day. In between games four and five, they rested their minds and "Colleen" proudly and excitedly whipped open the coffee table book. It turned out to be a book of photography, filled with beautiful pictures of colorful tropical and exotic birds.
"Do you like birds?" The girl asked as she spread the book open between the two of them. "What I like most about birds is not their feathers or their beautiful colors, but how free they are. They can circle the world if they wished. Sometimes I'd like to be a bird."
"Are you not free, Colleen?"
"None of us are ever really free, even when we think we're soaring," "Colleen" answered simply. She traced a picture of a brightly colored parrot, "The only way to keep a bird from flying is to clip its wings. They'll keep trying to fly but they never get into the air.
"But we're not like that," the girl's eyes became far away, and though she stared at the book, Ami got the feeling that she wasn't seeing it at all. "Tell us we can't fly, and we'll believe it. We just stop trying, too."
"Colleen" was quiet for a moment before lifting her head. The sadness vanished in an instant and she smiled brightly, "Ready for the tie-breaker?"