Far out along the reaches of the Thornswale Marsh, there lives a solitary groodle bird. As is the manner of the groodle bird, he makes his home, a high tower, out of twigs, moss, and reeds. What makes this particular groodle bird noteworthy is that his tower is over a thousand feet tall, looming over the marshes and visible from several miles in all directions. Tourists come and take photographs of themselves and their friends next to the groodle bird’s tower. Occasionally, the groodle bird shits on one or more sightseers. To be shat upon by the groodle bird of the tower of Thornswale Marsh is considered a great omen of good fortune. In fact, there are some who make the journey for the sole purpose of being shat upon. These hopeful souls are always dissappointed, for the groodle bird shits like a thief in the night. Only the unsuspecting are honored.
I myself was wandering the far reaches of the Thornswale Marsh, not far from the groodle bird’s tower, when I happened upon the groodle bird himself. He was sitting off to the side of the path I had been following for several miles. He nodded to me as I drew near. Evening shadows were falling.
“Hello,” said the groodle bird when I came within earshot.
“Hello,” I said.
“Got a smoke?”
“Sure.” I pulled out an unfiltered Garvshlogger and handed it over.
The groodle bird ate the cigarette with a snap of its beak. “Thanks, mack,” he said. Then he trotted along the path to build up speed, spread his great wings, and soared aloft.
Frankly, I was disappointed. There were many questions I would have liked to have asked the solitary groodle bird of Thornswale Marsh, and I had completely blown what would probably be my only chance to ask them. With a sigh, I stuck a Garvshlogger of my own between my lips and lit it. I walked pensively on through the marshes in the deepening night, wondering where the path would lead.
Ethan Abides 