Luci: (in her stentorian Labrador voice) Intruder! Intruder! INTRUDER!
Me: (looking up from the book I am reading) Eh? Who? What? Where?
Luci: There, over there, no here, no not here, there.. (runs this way and that)
Me: (sternly) What’s all the drama, Luci? (sees a bird on the AC unit) Omg. A bird! A BIRD!!!!!!
Luci: That’s what I said, INTRUDER! Get out, bird! This is my house. Hear that? MY HOUSE!
Me: How did it get in?
L&M: What’s all the racket upstairs? What’s happening?!!!!
Me: It’s a BIRD!!!!!!! A chweet little BULBUL!!!!!
L&M: Tell that dog to stop barking. I can’t hear you.
Luci: GET OUT OF MY HOUSE, YOU STUPID BIRD!
Me: A BIRD! (meanwhile finds out the phone has no charge, so runs for the camera)
Bird: Omg! What have I got myself into? I should have listened to Mom and stayed close to her.
Luci: OUT! OUT! OUT OF MY HOUSE!!!!!
L&M: (who has reached the spot of action looks at Luci with eyebrows knit) Will you stop barking, Luci?
Luci: (ignores Dad and jumps on to the cot for better accessibility to the bird, but finds bird is still out of reach)
Me: (To L&M, helpfully) Open the door to the balcony. It will fly away…. (meanwhile tries to take pictures in the poor light with the bird moving this way and that every second)
Bird: (Too frightened to fly out) Mommyyyy…. save me from this brute dog. I’ll never disobey you. Never ever! *sob sob*
Luci: Wait till I GET MY PAWS ON YOU!
L&M: Luci, get out!!!
Luci: (incredulity writ large over her face) No way, Dad! I am having too much fun. Besides, I look after security hereabouts, have you forgotten. I got this.
L&M: (turns to me and rolls his eyes) And my wife cannot think beyond taking pictures!
Me: (in between clicks) YOU take Luci out, the bird will take care of itself.

L&M steps out on to the landing and Luci in one excited and unguarded moment makes a wrong judgment and follows him out. I close the door gently. Little bird flies out of the door to to balcony and rejoins family. Saturday morning drama is over and done.

©Shail Mohan 2018