Um, we have a wildlife situation...

The other night in Richmond I was headed out of the house around 9pm when I heard a noise by my car. Without getting too scared about serial killers lurking over the fence I quickly realized there was a little bird rat-tatting at the window from inside the detached garage. I went back inside to inform Grandpa about the bird situation, since they really seem to like living in there. Grandpa simply told me to go open the garage doors and let him out, but when my aunt saw the look of horror on my face ("Me? go out there alone? and deal with a wild bird?") she told my ten-year-old cousin Sunni to go out and help me (aka hold my hand). So we went to the garage, Sunni leading the way and me creeping slowly behind. There was the little bird, still rat-tatting at the window. I opened the garage doors and it started to fly around, but it didn't fly out. It sat on the bike hanging from the ceiling, it rested by the window, it flew into the mirror and pecked at its reflection, but it wouldn't leave! Sunni picked up a stick and headed toward it, but the bird just kept flying around. I hid outside the door and peaked in through the fingers over my eyes. I happened to be holding a newspaper in my other hand, so I told Sunni to replace her stick with a broom, and together maybe we could wave at it enough to make it leave. But the bird kept flying around and I kept running back outside to hide. Eventually my fear rubbed off a little on Sunni, and we both hid outside, but she bucked up quickly.

"Okay," she told me sternly, "we just have to get up our courage and go in there and DO THIS."

"Okay," I nodded in agreement.

We took a collective deep breath and went back inside armed with the paper and broom. We waved waved waved and yelled "shoo! go outside! keep flying! that way that way!" And finally it flew outside, but just barely. As soon as it was gone I yelled "hurry! Close the door! Turn out the light! Let's get outta here before it comes back in this side door!" So we hurried and shut the doors and ran back inside the house.

Wildlife situation: under control.