the birdcage

"as i wandered out on the streets of miami, i said to meinself this is one fancy town"....back a few days from a trip to the promised land...well, the domestic promised land...and it feels like years ago, as all vacations do...yes, we were in miami...south beach to be exact...a somewhat quieter section, unlike the picture of nathan lane and robin williams forever in my brain...a quick vacation for sun and relaxation...a trip seemingly surrounded by birds...first the emu in front of mike...a woman who clearly should have paid for the seat with extra legroom...when she put her chair back she was practically in his lap...then just for added measure she had to blast her music and get her groove on...so now mike's tray is about to bust off the back of her chair...we were one plane seat malfunction away from paralysis...then there were the cute little birds by the hotel rooftop pool...actual birds...not exactly sure of the species...let's say they were like "swifties"...you know, taylor swift fans...once they start they don't shut the fuck up...but when they did the new cackling came from a group of rocker wannabees directly across from us...you know the type...jeans, black tee shirt...in 90 degree heat...arm sleeve tattoo...then removal of said shirt...and ew...omg...not david grohl...but david lee roth....the 2015 version...they pranced like peacocks but were really rooftop pigeons...the beach...the ocean...the turquoise horizon that melts all memory of winter and the spring that never was...the peaceful hum of the ocean and sunbathers...bright and yellow like canaries...until..."abuelo, abuelo, abuelo"...one billion times...a freaking mynah bird...and I want to scream..."answer your fucking grandkid"...but I turn to the sun instead and dream of meadowlarks...as I watch shore birds comb the sands searching for buried treasure I dig my toes in deeper...want to take the bird songs home...to help me soar above the three hour delay back to laguardia...and the cacophony of caged birds waiting to fly home to their nests