RANDOM REMINDER

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30901, 6 November 1965, Page 47

RANDOM REMINDER

THE WINGS OF A BIRD

Somewhere in Christchurch there is a man subject to fearful. Hitchcocklike nightmares, in which he is being smothered by the flapping wings of a bird of quite monstrous size. At least we think there must be, after the events on the river bank near the Star and Garter hotel on a recent Saturday. The fact that this brief drama occurred near a hostelry may not be significant: all sorts of un-soundly-based theories may develop from the fact that the man was there, and very fast asleep in the sunshine of early afternoon. It was a peaceful sort of scene—hardly any traffic, the sunshine dappled by I the Lombard poplars, the man asleep, and near him I a swan, swimming in the

manner of his kind, all graceful .and erect and regal. But the man apparently had been there some time, for there was dear evidence, very soon, that he had had a meal on the spot. For the swan lumbered its way ashore and along the bank, to begin picking up morsels of food near the sleeper. Slowly the swan tracked the supply to its source and began pecking away within inches of the man, who did not stir a muscle. Even from across the river, it was obvious there were some choice bits, somewhere about the region of the waistcoat, for the swan approached even closer, assessing the situation carefully with its beady little eye. As the man slept

on. the swan made up its mind and climbed on him with its great flat feet. It started picking up bits about the mid-riff, and worked its way north and was actually engaged in investigating something on the tie—perhaps an egg stain?—when the man awoke with startled and startling rapidity. There was a greet flurry and flapping of wings and the swan was gone.

The interesting questions will never be answered. Was the man, in fact, sleeping off an excess of alcohol? Did he, on waking think he was suffering from a rather violent attack of delirium tremens? And is he now cured, and handing round abstinence tracts in city bars?