11 April 2011

As the Crow Flies

First some sermon leftovers.

1. The book mentioned yesterday from the sermon was Brother to a Dragonfly by Will D. Campbell. I bet you can find copies in town at the local book shops (I am told it was part of the summer reading at Newman and Tulane a few years ago).

2. Yes, I did use the phrase "sloppy agape." It was a phrase the late Dr. Werner Lemke used one time in his class on Jeremiah.

Moving on...

Rumor has it that one day Edgar Allan Poe exited a train at the depot and walked the half mile or so to a boarding house in my hometown, while staying there a crow lighted on his window providing the inspiration for his most famous poem. The rumor goes on to state that Mr. Poe composed The Raven at the boarding house. Although the story is plausible, the house was a boarding house during Poe's life time and many people did stay over en route to other destination but I do not believe this story. I grew up with crows in St. Albans, WV not ravens.

I have never cared too much for crows over the years they have pulled up my onions, ruined my corn, and spread my compost pile all over my yard. On Monday my disdain for crows was heightened.

Monday morning I decided to begin working on my New Orleans induced addition by going out for a jog. The food of this city is amazing and wonderful but terrible for my waistline. So I took back up one of my favorite and relaxing exercises: jogging. It will take me a few weeks to get back to my Rhode Island form of 30 miles a week but I'll get there.

I began my journey by turning down Neron St. towards Palmer Park. A few blocks onto Neron a crow began cawing at me. I looked up and saw the most bizarre crow sight ever. A crow was looking me in the eye while his wings were fully stretched and feathers pluffed. He was cawing up a storm. I thought crazy crow, then it happened just like out of Hitchcock movie. The damn thing came after me! It started diving at my head. I kept jogging and the crow kept after me. After a few blocks I took matters into my own hands by acting like I was going to throw my bandanna at him (my signature look) but he kept coming after me. Finally, I located a stick, picked it up, and threatened to throw it. With a stick in my hand and five blocks away from the original run-in the crow flew back in a zig, zag pattern...as a crow flies.