Kakshri/'काकश्री '

Imagine this ..a crisp Pune morning, me and my frothy coffee, casually striking up a convo with a crow named Tommy. I mean, who knew crows were so sociable, right?

So there I am, thinking I'm Dr. Doolittle of the balcony, sharing biscuits, pohe, and the occasional fish feast with Tommy. Mom drops a bombshell – turns out, Tommy might be the descendant of a crow my dad fed. Instant attachment, and just like that, Tommy becomes family. I even upgraded his digs with cotton wool and hay – the crow's version of a cozy nest.

Guard duty was real, though. Pigeons, the heavyweight champs of the bird world, kept eyeing Tommy's meals. But Tommy, sly devil, had a trick – a 10 a.m. caw that translated to "Hey,I am here,is the breakfast's ready?"

Our friendship blossomed. Tommy accompanied me on walks, cawing cryptic messages that I expertly translated as reassurances for my mom's well-being. I shared this avian gossip over dinner with Kiran and Gargi , who were amused – apparently, crows are the Einsteins of the bird kingdom. Kiran even suggested renaming him 'Kaakshri,' ('काकश्री ' ) adding his two cents to the crow-naming committee.

Gargi added..Crows and ravens, the clever birds, aren't just breakfast connoisseurs – they're facial recognition experts. They can spot danger like it's a neon sign. She infact suggested that Kiran , a" face -recognition struggler" to take lessons from the feathered friends!!

Seriously, if only he took a feathered crash course from Tommy, he might stop mistaking acquaintances for relatives at family reunion!. I bet crows have a mental "do not trust" list that Kiran could use too!

Cut to wintery England – twiggy garden, no ravens in sight. I wonder, will Tommy, aka 'काकश्री ' miss our breakfast sessions? Will he migrate for a cuppa and some banter? I guess only time will tell, but man, do I miss that cheeky crow!

MKP

31/1/2024

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Poems ,Stories and lot more .. By Maneesha Purandare

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