I saw a fallen baby bird on the sidewalk. Commotion in the trees, it squealed, all fleshy. I heard the mother will reject it if you touch it. So I didn't. Blind and swimming against the inert current of concrete while I conducted a bad joke symphony in my head about things I wanted to one day say to a crowd, on my way to Ralphs.
All afternoon since I've felt like I could only get one good inhale out of fifteen attempts at breath.
