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AN ODD THING happened as we left the house It seemed odd to me at any rate Albert was unsurprised by it Even Katie didn’t react as I would have expected

A pearl-gray bird swooped down and landed on Albert’s left shoulder, causing me to start

Albert’s words startled me even more "It’s one your wife took care of," he infor it for her"

"Oneat Katie In life, she’d have launched into a frenzy of barking at the sight Here, she was completely placid

Albert explained to me that Ann had come to have a permanent rapport with the injured birds she had nursed back to health All the birds she’d saved--and there’d been dozens --were here in Su for her Albert even knew that at one time local children had called Ann The Bird Lady of Hidden Hills

I could only shake my head "Incredible," I said

He ss far more incredible," he told er "And how are you?" he asked

I had to laugh as the bird fluffed its wings and chirped "You’re not going to tell me it answered," I said

"In his oay," Albert told me "Just as with Katie Say hello to him"

I felt a little aard about it but did as he said The bird hopped instantly onto h ourI don’t kno to tell you what that so

Now the bird flew off and Katie startled oodbye to it Incredible, I thought as we started walking away from the house

"I noticed you have no mirrors," I said

"They serve no purpose," he told me

"Because they’re mostly for vanity?" I questioned

"More than that," he answered "Those who’ve marred their appearance in any way by their actions in life aren’t forced to witness thatIf they were, they’d beco the that Albert wouldn’t tell me if it was unpleasant in any way

I tried not to think about that as we started up a grassy slope, Katie running on ahead How triht with pleasure Ann would be so happy to see her They’d spent ether Literally, Ann couldn’t leave the house without her We used to laugh at Katie’s unfailing awareness of Ann’s intention to go out It seemed, at times, positively psychic

I put that fro deeply of the cool, fresh air The temperature seemed ideal to me

"Is that why it’s called Su to see if Albert knehat I was asking

He did, replying, "Partially But, also, because it can reflect each person’s concept of perfect happiness"

"If Ann were here with me, it would be perfect," I said, unable to keep her frohts

"She will be, Chris"

"Is there water here?" I asked, abruptly "Boats? That’s Ann’s idea of heaven"

"There are both," he said I looked up at the sky "Does it ever get dark?"

"Not totally," he said "We do have twilight though"

"Was it oing to sleep?"

"It di to your need for rest"

"Isn’t it an inconvenience not to have days and nights? How do you schedule yourself?"

"By activities," he answered "Isn’t that, essentially, the way people in life do it? A time to work, a time to eat, a time to relax, a time to sleep? We do the same--except, of course, that we don’t have to eat or sleep"

"I hope my need for sleep disappears soon," I said "I don’t relish the idea of o," he said