My Bird

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130 53 The woman enters the bedroom and the man, after apologizing, looks inside the room over the woman’s shoulder . They apologize again for checking the bathroom. The real estate man winks at Amir. The sound of the tambourine is heard. The woman and man look at each other. The real estate man says, “What’s that?” He leaves, following the woman and the man. Amir follows them and returns after a few minutes. The kids look at Amir as they watch me getting ready to leave. Amir is standing in front of the kitchen and looks like a warrior who can’t believe his opponent is walking away quietly, leaving the battlefield. I step outside. I am in the yard when Shadi taps on the window. From the movement of her lips, I realize she is asking for cheese puffs. I start walking. I pass the intersection and go into a quiet alley. This alley has no resemblance to the other alleyways on this street. It has trees and smells nice, the scent of jasmine , the fragrance of roses, the aroma of freshly cooked rice. The houses have large windows and the chandeliers are visible through lace curtains. “The person whose bird has already flown away has difficulty staying put. He’ll become a stranger in his own house.” M Y B I R D | 131 Do I have a bird too? My bird? But is it possible for anybody not to have a bird? Even the neighborhood gigolo, with his dark glasses and curly hair, who is always lingering in the streets, has his own bird. Whistling under his lips, he is perhaps calling out for his bird. ...