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Show 102 splinters. Red and Helen had a xaax bedroom at the back of the house, nearest the bathroom, and Neda had a room, except now Jon stayed in it while Neda slept downstairs in front of the TV. I shared a room with Joseph and Andrew; they split a double uaaxxa mattress and I had a single one, all on the floor. That's where those tv/o spent most their time. They kept the front window open and pushed the screen out and Andrew fed pigeons or squirrels or cats or whatever could fly in or crawl up the maple tree and onto the px porch roof. Andrew was a regular St. Francis Assisi, which was a little scarey six seeing as Helen already had him pegged for sainthood. So that's how he got to know Crow. Fed him Corn Curls. "Hello, Saint, " said Crow. "Who taught him that?" I said. "Who do you think?" said Joseph. Till that point he'd been busy looking into space. Old Crow came right through the window and into the room, hop, hop, hop. He looked at me sideways. "He'll do anything for a god-damn Corn Curl," said Andrew. Crow hopped onto Andrew's shoulder and had a Corn Curl. "God bless ya, " said Crow. "Why don't you leave them pigeons alone?" Andrew said to him. "I used to have pigeons here all the time." Crow didn't have anything to say about that. "I'm trying to teach him to take messages," said Andrew. "But he's resisting." "No way," said Crow. "Then no way on the Corn Curls," said Andrew. He closed the cellophane bag. "Suit yourself," said Crow. "Birds can't carry messages," said Joseph, "unless you tie them to their legs. So he memorizes a few ambiguous things. That doesn't mean he has a brain." Crow hopped down from Andrew's shoulder and jumped onto the window sill. "Good-bye, pig," he said, and flew off. aFyTFaKCXgHOCfigeaa^^ |