LOCAL BIRDS

Abstract

1 5 7 R L O C A L B I R D S J E S S I C A F R A N C I S K A N E John is sitting at the bar, drinking his favorite whiskey, watching his friends pretend this young woman, his daughter Hannah, isn’t a stranger to them. They didn’t know her when she was growing up, and he didn’t know their kids. In planning this party, Hannah has applied the customs of her childrearing era to the past and made assumptions she shouldn’t have. Nevertheless, here she is, looking beautiful and earnest, more interested in talking to this group of old professors, his colleagues of nearly forty years, than he is. He’s glad to see her, and appreciative that she’s flown in for his birthday, but he wishes it were a regular Friday night. He might have picked up a pizza and gone home to a movie with Elizabeth. Instead, they are at the fanciest restaurant in town, huddled around a too-trendy bar, waiting for their table. ‘‘Your dad’s a funny one,’’ someone says. Barnes or Ellison, John isn’t sure. He sees Hannah agree with a sad smile. She orders a martini, which is a surprise. He’s never seen her drink more than a glass of wine with a meal. She even knew how to order it: gin, straight up, with a twist. He imagines it’s a good break for her to be away from her children for a few days. She raises the very full glass, spilling some of the drink over the edge, 1 5 8 K A N E Y and makes a toast. The professors turn on their bar stools to listen. She says she knows he doesn’t like surprises, but sometimes there are occasions in life when you have to let other people do things for you and this is one of them. He frowns, but she continues. She says it is a big birthday and that it seems like a good time to gather his friends because she knows he will refuse any kind of retirement party. ‘‘You’re correct,’’ he interjects, and everyone laughs. She nods and gestures as if to say ‘‘See? What can I do?’’ Then she finishes by saying that she loves him and has always been inspired by him. She wishes him many more happy years. ‘‘Cheers!’’ It’s a festive group, everyone wearing warm fall colors. And yet Barnes’s own daughter died of breast cancer not long ago, Ellison left his wife recently, Moore’s wife is dying of emphysema, Larimer ’s old dog was just hit by a car, and Kossick has started having dizzy spells. Thinking of these things, John’s expression is grim, which doesn’t match the occasion, he knows. Everyone is looking at him. ‘‘People have been talking about this big birthday of mine for weeks,’’ he says, ‘‘but I can assure you I don’t feel a day older than yesterday.’’ The group laughs again. He wasn’t going to say anything more, but then he sees Hannah’s face. Such love and expectation . So he adds, ‘‘It’s nice to see all of you. Thanks to my daughter for planning such a surprise. She never did listen to me when she was growing up.’’ The group resumes talking on its own and the volume in the restaurant goes up a notch. Soon, he thinks, the waitress will come to take them to the table and the night will be one step closer to finished. Elizabeth is sitting at a table next to the bar. He’s astonished she’s come at all, but she insisted, surprising Hannah, too. Just as it occurs to him he ought to check on her, he sees Hannah move to do it. Wonderful. This is perhaps the greatest surprise of his later years, the way his wife and daughter have come back together. Elizabeth seems to be all right. Hannah brings her another glass of white wine. John asks the bartender for a glass of ice cubes, and then, his whiskey in the...