Friday, June 1, 2007

tragedy strikes

so, when i started working here, the big glass doors at the entrance to my building had just been decorated with big white dots, about 3 inches diameter, and an occasional white silhouette of a bird. the dots were to warn birds that there was glass there, as apparently there had been some deaths.
well, apparently these dots weren't up to par for aesthetics for some people. 'they're ugly' 'they look ridiculous'
i thought, well, if it's preventing death, then whatever. they're pretty unoffensive, just white and sort of blocking the view. they also probably save the cleaning people some time, because that's one less glass door they have to polish twice a day (there seem to be a lot of glass doors, and a lot of donor tours for which they must be spotless).
apparently aesthetics won out. they cleaned the dots off the doors the day before yesterday.
today, as i walked up to the door, i noticed a sparrow lying on the ground. dead. not just dead - i could see where it had run into the spotless glass because its beak was stuck to the glass with its own blood and tissue.
i can't handle the selfishness of people. and i can't help but worry a little that at some point, i'll be going at top speed, maybe on my bike, maybe in my car, maybe just on foot, and i'll run smack into a big invisible wall and display my brains for everyone to see, from both sides.
i bet next time i go out that door the bird brain will be polished off and its tiny life forgotten.

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