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The Barn owl

A Pandemic Adventure

By Suzanne Bennett McelroyPublished 3 years ago 10 min read
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In the winter of 2020 the Corona pandemic swept threw Canada like a bad snow storm and as our family and friends started to die a round us, the Government of Canada put a nation wide lock down on the country. No one could leave their homes unless they were essential workers or going out for necessities.

Both my parents were essential workers, day in and day out they would go to work, when the second wave hit, they terrified, they would bring it home to me. I have epilepsy, and I all ready had bell palsy last year due to the seizers. If I got sick, I would die, and out of that fear came the decision to send me to my Aunt and Uncle's house in the mountains to stay. They didn't even ask me what I thought, and if they did I would of told them no.

Now I know it was the best thing for me, but at the time, I really didn't think so. I was turning thirteen, in junior high and I didn't want to leave my friends. I've never lived in the mountains before and I didn't have a clue what to do there for fun, I was a city kid. I voiced my opinion rather rudely to my parents on the way there. I may have to go, but I sure didn't have to like it.

As the city lights faded, and the houses became far and in between, the land became untouched by human hands. Houses turned into trees, smog turned to clean air and the highway became a old dirt road zigging it's way threw the mountain side. "We're all most there", my Dad said glancing back at me. "Great", I said as I rolled my eyes at him. "Don't be like that Sweet Pea, you never know you might like it." said my Dad. "Please do it for me" said my mother. "You know your safer here", "Sure Mom" I said. I turned to the window and gave them the silent treatment.

Looking out the window, I blew with my breath to make it, all foggy. I started drawing animals, and little hearts. When I was done I wiped off the window and out of the corner of my eye I saw something move in the ditch. I turned and looked again, sure enough there was something moving! "Stop", I screamed. Scaring my father he slammed on the brakes and before he could say anything I flung off my seat beat, swung open the car door and ran toward the movement in the ditch. There on the side of the road was a little barn owl, he was trying to fly, but he just kept crashing to the ground.

I know what you think, it's not very smart or safe to go running after a wild animal. I have a soft spot for them, and like I said before I'm not a country kid, so I have no clue on how to help them. I didn't really think about that until I saw the barn owl on the ground. "Daddy help," I scream. Dad, who was all ready running after me, screaming, "wait don't touch it," stopped and stood beside me. He looked down at the bird and said, "Poor little guy." Then he then took off his coat and threw it over the owl. When the bird calmed down, he scooped it up and headed towards the car. "Are you coming", he asked. "Yes Dad', I said and followed after him.

Mom switched seats and got behind the wheel, while my father climbed in the back seat with me. "Can you call your Uncle Andy" My dad asked me. I had no idea why he wanted me to call my Uncle but I did as he asked. After a few rings my Uncle picked up. I explain what happen and where we were. My Uncle said, down the road was a wild life center and he would meet us there, Weird I taught why does he want to meet us there. Sure enough a round the corner the wildlife center sign came into view, and my Mom turned up the lane.

As we were pulling up to the center, a man was locking the doors. He turned to go to his car when my Mom stopped and turned the engine off. I jumped out "Can you help him" I asked him? "Help who" ask the man. "The little barn owl we found on the side of the road" I said. My father brought the barn owl for him to see. "I guess I have one more patient before I go home," said the man. He turned a round unlocked the door and had us go inside. Just as we going threw the door my Uncle Andy turned into the drive. "The Vet is here" said the man.

I was so surprised that my Uncle was the vet! I didn't know what he did for a living. My father hugged my Uncle, then my Uncle rubbed my head and told me not to worry, He said we would get the barn owl all fixed up. He had my dad put the owl on a bed in the examination room. I stood right there beside the owl stroking his head while my Uncle checked for broken bones. Then my Uncle took the little owl into the back for x-rays.

I swear it seemed like forever, but it was only a few minutes and as the clock ticked slowly away my mind played tricks on me. Maybe I didn't get there on time or maybe he would die, I didn't know, I was really scared and I did something I never did before, I prayed. I'm not a prayer kind of girl, my parents don't even go to church, but I prayed to God with all my might. I promised everything if God could make him better.

Tick- tock went the clock, seconds turned into minutes, minutes turned into a half hour and finally my uncle came back into the room with the barn owl. 'He's one lucky little fellow, if you wouldn't of found him he would of died, he was dehydrated and he's to young to fly," said my Uncle. "There is nothing you can do for him now, he's safe, you should go home and I will meet you there in a few," my Uncle said to my father and I. As we headed to the car my father yelled over his shoulder I'll see you there.

My head was swirling, and I was really tired when I sat in the back seat of the car. Mom switched back to the passenger seat and my Dad got behind the wheel. "That was exciting," said my mother I looked at my Dad and said "You never told me Uncle Andy was a vet". My father replied "We wanted it to be a surprised, your Aunt and Uncle opened a wildlife center when they retired, we thought you might like to help out". "Maybe, do you think Uncle Andy would let me take care of the owl Daddy," I asked. "You never know Love bug," said my father and as I drifted off to sleep, I dreamt of the little barn owl.

The next morning I woke up to the smell of bacon frying. I sat up in a bed, and had no idea how I got there because I fell a sleep on the way home. I stretched and yawn, got up and head towards the kitchen. My Mom and Dad were sitting at the kitchen table drinking coffee, while my Aunt Dianne was at the stove flipping pancakes. "Good morning Love bug", "sleep well?" asked my father. "How's the owl, is he doing o.k.?" I asked, and before my father could answer my Uncle Andy walked threw the front door holding a box.

"Your up, I have a surprise for you," said my Uncle as he laid down the box in front of me. "Could it be, Is Uncle Andy going to let me take care of the owl," I thought, my hands became clammy and excitement filled my body while I lifted the lid and peered in. I couldn't believe my eyes, there in the box was the little barn owl from last night.

I was so darn excited when I seen that little barn owl, that I jumped up, threw my arms a round my Uncle and gave him a big fat kiss on the cheek, saying, "Thank-you, thank-you ,thank-you." My Mom and Dad got up from the table, gave me a hug, kissed me on the top of my head and then my father said "it was time to go." I followed them out to their car to say good-bye.

After we said our good-byes, my Mom and Dad got in the car. My Dad rolled down the window and said, "Cheer up, Love-bug before you know it, the second wave will be done, and maybe in the summer, you can have a going home/release in the wild party." "I'll try Daddy," I said. He blew me a kiss, rolled up his window and drove away.

As I stood there watching the car fade off into the distance, I made a promise to myself I would do everything in my power to help the owl get better. The days turned into weeks, weeks, turned into months, months turned into spring, before I knew it summer was here and the little barn owl wasn't so little any more.

He became bigger and stronger, then one day he could fly and catch his own food. I knew it was time to let him go, and as I stood watching him fly from branch to branch in the in closer, my phone rang, the caller I.D. said Dad. "Hello", I answered, "It's Dad, the second wave is done your coming home," said my Father, and as I hung up the phone, I had mixed feelings, I was happy to be going home, but sad to leave the owl.

On June 23 2021, four days before my Mother's 51st birthday the second wave of the pandemic ended. In the winter months scientists found a vaccination for the Corona virus and the Government of Canada lifted the Nation wide lock down. On the 24th of June my parents came to pick me up to take me home, it was also the day we released the owl into the wild.

He didn't seem to want to go it took a few tries, but finally he few off and I never thought I would ever see him again. I knew in my heart it was the right thing to do, but I knew I would miss him. "You did a good thing, I'm proud of you." said my Dad. On the drive home all I could do was think about the little barn owl.

We arrived at home a round 5:30pm. The first thing I did when I got home was call all my friends, it was like I never even left. My uncle called later on that night to tell us the little barn owl came back and made his home in the barn. He told me the owl knew a good thing when he had one. I was really excited to know I would see him again.

We had three move waves of the Pandemic it didn't end until December of 2024 and each time my parents sent me to Aunt and Uncle's house in the mountain. The little owl stayed at my Uncle's farm and he found himself a mate. Before long he had young of his own. One of his owlets would always stayed in the barn, and even to this day a relative of his still lives there.

The end.

Writen by Suzanne Bennett

literature
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Suzanne Bennett Mcelroy

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