One day, Gord was lying down facing away from the people looking at him when he heard a girl’s voice that sounded like it was right next to him.
“You know, you really need to do something and stop laying there.”
Now this was unusual, thought Gord. He was used to voices coming from the people that walked by every day to see him, but to hear a voice behind him when there should be no one there… well, this was different. He stood up and started turning around to see who was there.
“Careful now. I don’t want to be stepped on.”
Gord looked down. There, standing next to his front paw, was a small brown bird with a long, sharp beak. They looked at each other for a moment until Gord remembered his manners. “Why, hello there,” he said.
“Hello yourself,” the bird replied. “Now, finish turning around so the people can see you. They didn’t pay all that money to come to the zoo just so they could see your back, you know.”
Gord smiled. Should he choose to do so, he could have easily swatted this bird away with one swipe of his paw. Still, he was smiling, something he had not done for a very long time. He thought this was something he ought to keep going for a while. “Very well,” he said to the bird.
He turned around to face the people crowded around the front of the home. A small child among them excitedly said, “Mom! The polar bear’s looking right at me!”
Gord thought for a moment about replying, but as he had learned a while ago it was better not to say anything to the children when their parents were around. Instead, he whispered to the bird, “Very well, I have turned around so the people can see me. Now, come out from behind my paw so they can see you.”
“They can see me anytime,” the bird replied. “No one comes to the zoo to see me. They all come to see you.”
“Why, that’s silly,” said Gord. “You’re just as worthy of being seen as I am.”
“No, I’m not. I’m just a common brown thrasher.”
“There is nothing common about you,” Gord replied. “Why, I see thrashers fly around and walk around all the time, but not one of them has cared to come in here and talk to me. Now, come out so the people can see you.”
The thrasher said nothing. Gord turned his head to look and see if she was still there behind his paw. She was, looking down.
Gord decided that he needed to take action. With one swoop of his paw he picked up the very surprised and not a little alarmed thrasher, then gently put her on top of his head as he turned back around to face the people.
“What are you doing?” said the thrasher. She made a motion to fly away, but stopped when she felt more than heard Gord growl.
“Now, you stay there for a moment and listen to me. You’re just as worthy of people noticing you as I am. And now they will.”
The thrasher stood still. Then she heard the same small boy who a moment before had said to his mother that Gord was looking right at him say in an even more excited voice, “Look, Mom! That bird is sitting right on top of the bear!” He then paused for a moment, and with a worried tone added, “The bear’s not going to eat the bird, is he?”
“Of course not, dear,” his mother replied in her best reassuring parental tone. “See? They’re friends.”
While she was saying this, those gathered around were taking all kinds of pictures, seeing as how it was very unusual to see a thrasher standing on top of a polar bear.
The thrasher said to Gord, “They’re only looking at me because of you… you know, I never did ask you your name.”
“Nor have I asked you yours. I’m Gord.”
“I’m Cherie.”
“Well, Cherie,” said Gord, “I believe they’d look at you even if I wasn’t here.”
“I doubt it, but if it’s all right I’d like to stay here with you for a while.”
Gord replied, “Why, you can stay here for as long as you’d like. It’s been a long time since I’ve had someone to talk to.”
Cherie smiled. “Very well. Then here I will stay.”
