Comments on: Birds

By: J-L

J-L — Wed, 21 May 2008 15:47:52 +0000

I noticed that hand is supporting his head similar to the classic “Thinker” posture.

So he might be wondering, “Why are all these birds dead?” and “If all these birds are dead, is this really the best place to eat my sandwich?”

Kind of makes me wonder what I’d think if I were in the same situation.

By: J-L

J-L — Wed, 21 May 2008 15:42:44 +0000

I just had a thought:

I’m thinking that this man has a habit of eating a sandwich for lunch every day on the park bench, and every day he sees birds begging for hand-outs.

But today is different: Although he still sits on the park bench eating his same old sandwich, the usual mendicating ritual has been mysteriously replaced with a flock of dead birds.

Wouldn’t that make you feel at least a little creeped-out?

By: tim

tim — Wed, 21 May 2008 02:46:58 +0000

Kevin’s idea makes more sense than anything I could come up with. Thanks Kevin!

By: Kevin Andresen

Kevin Andresen — Mon, 19 May 2008 22:07:04 +0000

I’ll risk repetition by being more explicit with my perception because hinting doesn’t seem to work (as my dating record indicates):

The fellow has placed his hot feet in the cool sand. The result is that the birds, whose beaks were purposefully drawn to indicate they probe deep under the sand for food, have keeled over from the oppresive emanations that are permeating the nearby area.

(To be fair, I don’t know what kind of sandpiper-like bird has a redish/pinkish belly; I’m comfortable thinking it’s the reflection off of the guy’s shirt.)

By: J-L

J-L — Mon, 19 May 2008 20:37:28 +0000

Where are his feet?

And for that matter, where is his face?

And why is flesh-colored goo shooting out of his arm and attaching itself to his… neck?

(Seriously, though, I can’t figure out which way his face is supposed to be “facing.”)

By: pepperjackcandy

pepperjackcandy — Sun, 18 May 2008 12:42:26 +0000

I thought it was a flatulence joke.

By: Dave K

Dave K — Sun, 18 May 2008 01:29:29 +0000

maybe the birds are playing dead in order to get some food ala dog training

By: Lola

Lola — Sun, 18 May 2008 00:26:17 +0000

The paper he got the sandwich from seems to be in the shape of a swan like was so popular a few years back as doggie bags at trendy restaurants. Soooooo, maybe the birds are in worship mode? I’m almost ashamed to say, having the sense of humor of a 12 year old, that my first thought was that he was having digestive distress and gassed them.

By: Oy vey

Oy vey — Sat, 17 May 2008 21:52:08 +0000

Wow! At first I was agreeing with #1, thinking that Herman’d tossed pieces of crust to the birds, and then he just noticed that they were all dead as he was chewing his first bite. Then I thought maybe - since the birds are all lined up with their tails towards him - they were going to try to catch the crusts with their feet. Then I noticed that Herman’s feet appear to be immersed in water, so maybe the birds are floating on their backs so they can grab the tossed crusts before they hit the water and get soggy. But why’s a bench installed in foot-deep water? My brain hurts, I need a beer.

By: Kevin Andresen

Kevin Andresen — Sat, 17 May 2008 19:53:22 +0000

Okay, I give up my idea that the birds are sunning themselves and are ailing or passed on.
They are definitely shore birds, most of whom with that bill, find their food under the sand (be it in the water or on the land). The guy’s feet are under the sand. Uh-oh!

The worst sunburn I ever got was on the tops of my feet after teaching myself to use a neighbor’s windsurfer on Grand Cayman island (about 100 miles south of Cuba). So, I assume people put their feet under the sand to protect them (or maybe it’s just to keep them cool).