Almost every day four crows come by to eat corn, cracked corn, and their favorite treat, yesterday’s bread. Today, they are three, at least three I can see, they are elusive and cautious creatures. Crow number four could be just out of sight. They operate in the same way, every day. One crow takes a sentinel position in the highest tree in the west, just along the road, while the other two, or three, swoop down for the food. The treat today is day-old pizza, full of high-energy, full-fat mozzarella cheese. Crow number two takes his bite and flies off to the meadow in the south while number three takes his and flies to the trees in the north. The sentinel crow stays put, waiting and watching while his brother and sister get what Mary Oliver would call “their plenty.” Number two comes back, takes a whole slice of pizza, and after a difficult liftoff, soars back to the meadow to eat it. Then the sentinel crow gets his turn while crow number three takes over sentinel duty. They share the bounty, they watch out for one another, they cooperate, they take turns enjoying the good and staying alert for the bad. What a good idea.
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