How come turkeys don't fall out of the sky on the days you need them to?

Well, it wasn't a turkey, it was a Guinea Fowl. And it didn't fall out of the sky, I think it jumped out of a tree. (Doesn't "How does a Guinea Fowl get INTO a tree?" come to mind) But it did shock the heck out of me when it landed in front of my car. And apparently I shocked it causing it to spread it's wings and try to fly...which looked more like a hop with spread wings. The idea of a Guinea Fowl (I only found out WHAT it was later. I thought it was a small grey turkey at the time) suddenly dropping down in front of my car had me in near hysterics. (Well, after I swerved to miss it's dismount from the tree and subsequent hop/flying.)

So...how come Guniea Fowl don't dismount out of trees on days when you need them to? Like yesterday, when worked sucked and the reality hit me that I'm almost 28 (my dad thought my neighbor was lying when he told her his daughter (I'll talk about her later) would be 28 Sunday), working for a little more than minimum wage, at a job I don't necessarily like, with no future in moving up, single and still heartbroken - God only knows why (I certainly don't. I've had plenty of brooding time and I'm ready for rebounding or the next step or something other than sudden attacks of heartache), living at home, miserable (see above...except the home part, that's kinda nice) with no end in sight. I needed a Guinea Fowl.

Or how about this coming Saturday? We had the good fortune in 1986 (ooo...side note, watched Urban Cowboy before Trish's engagement party this past Saturday. SOOOO Jill and I growing up in Dallas! Even had the Gilley's t-shirts! :) I had the urge to go roller skating, honky tonkin', and wear hideous cowboy satin cowboy shirts! :) ) of moving into a house next door to a girl my age. Down the street, about 5 houses there was also a girl my age. My next door neighbor, Danille, Keri, and I became very good friends from 5th-8th grade. while Keri drifted in and out, Danielle and I remained close until our sophomore year in high school. I guess in the essence of good nostalgia, I get very sad when I think about all the good times we had together (and there were LOTS) b/c they eventually ended. Danielle started hanging out with guys I didn't like too much and spending all her time with them and none with me. I began athletic training and soon had no time for them. We drifted apart, but remained in touch until I left for college in '93.

I guess I have always realized what an effect on my life Danielle and her family had. Her older sister Kim greatly influenced my music taste. Her cousin Erik, I'm learning, influence my taste in men - for better and worse. I'm not sure if it was the time of life, or the time spent (nearly every day) at Danielle's house, that taught me so much and introduced me to so many things. We would talk about the guys we liked, hung out with an older crowd and knew the same people, we would share our dreams for the future (even if it was immediate and mostly boy crazy) and figured we'd always be togetherIt's difficult to feel you knew someone better than anyone else in the world and now know hardly anything about them at all. It is this sad thought, along with all the old memories that flood my mind everytime I see Danielle.

Saturday, Danielle gets married. In a weird, t.v. movie moment I will be stepping back to a time when I was 13. Surrounded by people I haven't seen in 10-14 years, who have all stayed in touch. I'll be the outsider looking in. This might be easier if I felt I'd evolved, but many days I feel as if I am 13 again. A part-time job, living at home, no real male interest to speak of...in fact, there are alot of days I'm surprised when I wake up I'm not a Freshman in high school again, oversleeping, and finding out that the last 13 years were all a dream. And, knowing me as I do, driving home from the reception with my parents...I'm gonna need a Guinea Fowl to fall from the sky.

There are a few people right now, for whom I'd crawl into a tree with a flock full of foul: Steve Bechler's wife, my boss's brother (who lost his 20 year old son in a horrible car accident/fire), and Michael (they've GOTTA start winning soon).

I can think of alot more moments in MY life - when Neil gets engaged, when my grandparents pass away, when Trish or my sister (not to mention me) have kids, or at each of our weddings - when the sky better have ALOT of Guinea Fowl for the dropping. You see, into every life a little "fowl" must fall. Just the little reminder that no matter how prepared we think we are for something, things happen we could never expect. Or a little unexpected laugh, when we need it most to remind us we are loved and watched. Or that maybe when we are most "down" and think there is no hope, the unexpected could happen (or NEVER expected could happen).

So, keep your eyes open for the raining of Guinea Fowl. Rumor has it, there's alot of them out there!