Pigeon!

Last Friday a pigeon-like bird flew into the classroom. The excitement and upheaval it brought to the class surpassed (by far) that created by the scorpion a few months ago. All the boys immediately leapt out of their seats and started running around the classroom with outstretched, grasping hands. Eventually, with a shout of joy, Alhagie catches the bird. I assume he will open the door (which another student had closed during the chase) and toss the bird outside. Why would they do anything else?


But Alhagie does not do this. He tears off a strip of green fabric from somewhere and ties it around one of the wings, then walks towards the window. I think, “Oh, he’s going to release the bird with the fabric around his wing…to let everyone know Alhagie T. caught a bird?” But then he puts the bird, who is now looking kind of limp, on the window sill. The bird is only there for a second or two, because Alhagie changes his mind and hands the bird off to another boy, who brings the bird to the rubbish bin outside the classroom. I’ve decided by now that the bird looks very much not-alive, and this is confirmed when the boy proceeds to slice the bird's head off.


Me, finally realizing what’s up: Are you going to eat it?
Student: Yes!