Tender Hands

“She’s outside looking for a nest,” my co-worker explained when I inquired where our boss Renee was located.

“What?”

“She found a baby bird in the middle of the street!”

Walking outside and around the corner, the heat index was so high that it almost knocked me out. The weatherman stated earlier that we were under Level Red for the pollution index for the first day of summer. I realized that that baby bird would not have survived on its own on the hot concrete.

I spotted her trim figure, beautifully dressed; walking under the shade trees with her hands cupped together staring up into the branches. Walking over to her, I noticed a little fur ball with beautiful markings around its neck in her hands. It hadn’t received its feathers yet. His shrill cheeping was constant. I called my sister on the phone and asked her about a place that would take care of the baby bird. She has rescued many baby birds in the past. Finding a box, Renee gently laid the baby chick inside. We learned of an educational building about 8 miles away and quickly left.

The experts from that facility took one look at it and declared, “Oh, that’s a Kildeer bird!” Their name is from the sound they make, “killdee!” They lay their eggs on the ground near rocks. The chicks stay in the egg one week longer than most birds and immediately start running after they are hatched. She explained that it was very difficult to feed the babies and would be ideal if we could return the baby where Renee had found it. I’ve learned that the mother bird will feign injury and cry out to draw attention away from her babies if she senses they are in danger.

Back into the car we went and made the trip back to work.

Carefully, Renee placed the baby bird back near the fence in the bushes in close proximity where she had first discovered the baby. She became concerned showing a slight furrow on her brow that she no longer heard the baby bird’s call.

The day passed quickly with a flurry of activities and milder weather soon came and we stepped outdoors. Suddenly, Renee’s expressed lit up with excitement and relief as she spotted the mother bird, with the same markings, swoop down where the baby bird was located.

In her prior business dealings, my boss has been an executive over hundreds of employees. Her sharp wit and expertise have earned her respect in her field. Starting a new business with her husband John keeps her extremely busy. They have opened up 4 assisted living facilities for the elderly to provide comfortable, homelike setting at a reasonable cost. Their desire is to have more interaction with the residents they serve.

This brilliant business woman dramatically demonstrated to me a compassionate heart and caring side of her personality by tending so gently to this defenseless baby bird.

I know without a doubt that both she and her husband will provide tender care to the seniors at Mustang Creek Estates in Allen, Texas. The hands that gently caressed a tiny chick with downy fluff are the same hands that will reach out and embrace and touch our Elderly who are in need of assistance in our community.

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Ginnylynn is a new local book author who is a native of Texas. Her first inspirational book, A Family's Stronghold was written to provide encouragement to others dealing with Alzheimer's disease. Also included are my true stories and poetry about my family and pets. The book can now be purchased through the publisher as a rush delivery at www.publishamerica.com or other online services such as www.amazon.com, and available for ordering at area bookstores.
© 2008 Ginnylynn Rodriguez - All rights reserved. Visit Ginnylynn's blog here: http://ginnylynn.fetchbook.info
E-mail Ginnylnn at nitewriter54 ( at ) yahoo.com

This column is used with permission.