A Quick Pavement Rescue

I slipped out under the front door gap and made a break for the sidewalk—needed fresh air! Right ahead by the curb, two little brown sparrows were puffing up their feathers, chattering angrily over half a discarded pretzel stick sitting near the storm drain. Neither was backing down, and one wing flap nearly knocked the prize into the grate. No way on my watch! I jogged right in between them, waved both arms in a wide, goofy arc, and nudged the salty pretzel an inch aside with my boot. The birds startled back with a flutter, paused, and then tilted their heads at me. Crisis avoided, fair and square.