While working out this afternoon I heard a cell phone ring in my back yard. Yep. Right outside the window. Four quick rings. Pause. Four quick rings. Pause. Etc. If I hadn’t been sprawled on the floor, I would have peeked between the blinds to see what sort of fool stands in bone-chilling rain on private property letting his phone loudly announce his presence.
Then the pause lasted just a bit too long before the next ring, and I realized it wasn’t a fool and his cell phone. It was a mocking bird. Somewhere, once upon a time, I read that mocking birds can imitate cell phone rings. Now I’m here to testify that it’s true. I think I’ll pipe some Carly Simon and James Taylor into the back yard and see if I can’t rouse an avian choir singing their own theme song: Mock (yeah) ing (yeah) bird (yeah) Yeah (yeah) . . .
Love the Yeah (yeah). Yeah.
Tonight is dress rehearsal for the 50s musical I’ve been busy choreographing the past few weeks at Marshall High School. Shows are Friday and Saturday at 7:00, Sunday at 2:00, and you (yes, you) should come. I guarantee it’s going to be an adorable and entertaining show. Poodle skirts, leather jackets, saddle shoes, and converse sneakers. Swing dancing, twisting and shouting, hopping and bopping, rocking around the clock. They’ve got their dance steps down and their attitudes up. This is the part where I get to sit back and watch it all gel and remember once again one of the many reasons I love my life.
Hope to see you there. Yeah (yeah)!
from Mary not in France
Every time (nearly) I read your words I laugh out loud!!!!!
Thanks for brightening my day, Jeanne girl!
mary at http://www.relevantblog.blogspot.com
Oh, my. I had the same thing happen. One morning while jogging, I couldn’t figure out why a cell phone rang somewhere in the street at 6:45 (that was before I discovered I’m an evening jogger – life is much better now). The next morning, same sound, same time, and I realized that my life has become technologically centered when I mistake birds for phones.
Heather G.
So funny….and I wish I could go
I’m a city gal, so the mockingbird imitating cell phones is new to me. What a hoot!
I wish I could go to your musical, but it would be a pretty long drive. I’m sure it will turn out wonderful!
Suzan
You’re one cool chick, Jeanne — not because of the choreography thing (don’t get me wrong: that IS cool), but the mocking bird deal. Reading your words created a paradigm shift in my brain. So that’s why they call them “mocking” birds! I feel cauldrons of Inspiration bubbling. There’s a story in there. Somewhere. Praying for fluidity, unity and the oil of gladness at Marshall High.
Mike D.
Thanks for thinking I’m a “cool chick” for any reason, Mike. 🙂
The mocking bird is the Texas state bird and very common around here. They’re kind of mean, but they really are quite adept at imitating other birds or any “melodic” sound. Car alarms, for example.
Let me know if your cauldron bubbles over. And thanks for the prayers!
Re: from Mary not in France
You’re welcome, Amerified Mary. Thanks for laughing at (nearly) all my words. ♥
Long ago, in a galaxy far away, I was a morning jogger. (During college.) Now I’m a sleep late, eat breakfast, wait two hours, then work out before lunch person. Unfortunately it would appear that one can expect to be interrupted by birds returning calls no matter what time one exercises. Honestly. Where do our tax dollars go?
Re: So funny….and I wish I could go
I suppose city birds smoke little cigarettes and bark gruff whistles out the sides of their beaks. If your street-smart birds came to our neighborhood, they’d put a whole new spin on “mocking” bird.
Mugsy bird nudges his pal. “Hey, Chirpy, nice ring tone. Can you hear me now? Heh heh.”
I wish you could come, too. Thanks for wanting to. 🙂
Coreography amazes me
Jeanne,
Coreographers amaze me! Creating art on stage with human beings that are dancing, moving, stepping, gyrating, throwing people up in the air, twisting, tapping… and sometimes even SINGING, it just makes my brain hurt.
You have a true talent. And lots of energy!
I’m so glad that was a mockingbird beneath your window and not a stalker with his phone turned up. 😉
Re: Coreography amazes me
Thanks, Anonymous! Did you come to our show, or are you speaking of choreography in general terms? Because you pretty much described what the students did on stage this weekend. 🙂
Yeah (yeah), I’ll take a mocking bird over a stalker any day.
Re: Coreography amazes me
Oh, sorry, that was me being all anonymous. (Maybe I’M the stalker with the loud cell phone!)
Couldn’t make it to the performance. I just imagined what 50’s dancers would be doing. 😉
Erin, the (parenthetical) hyphen-lover